Several Americans have taken their dreams of home ownership to the extreme by transforming unconventional spaces such as abandoned lighthouses, old baseball stadiums, and decrepit Italian properties into their dream homes. One such example is Michael Cox, who, along with his business partner John Watson, converted a former Indianapolis baseball stadium into a 138-unit apartment complex named Stadium Lofts. The $14 million renovation transformed the dilapidated stadium into a unique apartment complex featuring one and two-bedroom apartments, lofts, and various original features from the stadium’s past, including the scoreboard and ticket booths.
Another unique transformation is the conversion of an abandoned school named Bowtie High into a 31-unit apartment building. Jesse Wig, along with real estate investor Adam Colucci and developer Dan Spanovich, purchased the property for $100,000 and embarked on an 18-month, $3.3 million renovation to turn it into a modern living space with nods to its educational past. The success of Bowtie High led the team to purchase and renovate the abandoned school across the street, turning it into a 33-unit apartment building with additional amenities like a rooftop deck and indoor parking.
Test pilot Joe Sobczak took his love for aviation to a whole new level by purchasing a home in a residential airpark at Pine Mountain Lake Airport. The $698,000 property includes a 5,000-square-foot home with a 3,600-square-foot hangar, allowing Sobczak to keep his plane on the premises. Living in a community with other aviation enthusiasts, Sobczak enjoys the convenience of flying to work at the San Francisco International Airport instead of enduring a three-hour drive. With multiple homes to his name, Sobczak considers this airpark residence his favorite.
Sheila Consaul’s unconventional journey to homeownership led her to purchase an abandoned lighthouse in Ohio overlooking Lake Erie for $71,000. Through a government auction held as part of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, Consaul acquired the three-story lighthouse, which she has been renovating since 2012. Despite challenges like transporting large appliances by boat and crane due to the lighthouse’s remote location, Consaul has poured time and effort into transforming the property into a unique living space, describing the experience as a challenge and an opportunity she loved every minute of.
In Sicily, Rubia Daniels seized the opportunity to purchase three run-down buildings for 1 euro each as part of an Italian initiative to attract foreign investors and revitalize towns with declining populations. With extensive mold, water damage, termite infestations, and collapsed roofs, the properties required substantial renovation. Daniels saw the potential to create her dream projects: a vacation home, a restaurant, and a wellness center. By investing in these properties in Italy, Daniels envisions a future split between California and Sicily, where she can enjoy her dream homes and pursue her retirement plans.
These examples showcase the lengths some individuals are willing to go to for their dream homes, from converting abandoned buildings into luxury apartments to purchasing unconventional properties like lighthouses and old stadiums. Through creativity, vision, and hard work, these homeowners have transformed unlikely spaces into beautiful and unique living environments that reflect their passions and personalities.
