Drivers on I-35 in Sanger of Denton County can spot a mansion built on a hill on South Stemmons Street. For over thirty years, the estate sat abandoned. Now, renovations are scheduled to be completed by 2023 and will transform the site into a place many people can enjoy.
The three-story mansion is 27,000 square feet and was built in the 1980s by Joe and Julie Powell. It was intended to be used as a private residence for the Powells and their daughter Shahla.
Originally, the Powell family planned to turn the mansion and the property into a ranch to breed and sell award-winning Appaloosa horses. They were going to name it “Double JP Ranch,” according to NBC DFW.
The Dallas Morning News said that the design plans for the mansion had specific details for the third floor. It was “designed to showcase the horses”; a large elevator in the home would lift a horse to the third floor.
In the mid-1980s, construction on the home came to a halt due to divorce, bankruptcy, and health issues. According to the Dallas Morning News, it’s “unclear what happened to Julie and Shahla,” but Joe lived in Sanger until he passed away.
In January 2020, Lina and Kenneth Ramey purchased the property. Their daughter, Isabel Ramey, will help drive their Bella Mansions LLC forward. According to the Denton Record-Chronicle, the mansion will become a venue for events and weddings.
“When I walked through it, I had this sad feeling like this house has so much unused potential, so that’s what I’m excited about – giving this project what it deserves… I want to go in and make it something everyone in the community can be extremely proud of,” Isabel said.
The website for Bella Mansions LLC mentions that there will be indoor and outdoor areas for events to entertain up to three hundred people.
The renovations are scheduled to be completed by 2023, with the goal to “embody modern elegance that is sure to enchant all of your guests.” To follow the progress of the renovations and for more information, click here.