ACROSS AMERICA — With the three properties featured this week in How Much House, you could live like U.S. presidents, their families and staff — that is, to the extent you can bowl a few frames without having to leave your home.
Home bowling alleys have been an on-and-off trend for decades. One of the most famous is the two-lane bowling alley given as a birthday gift to President Harry Truman in 1947. Featuring an automatic pinsetter, which had been introduced just a year earlier, the lanes opened in the basement of the White House West Wing in 1953, and were moved two years later to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next door.
An avid bowler, President Richard Nixon was known to break away in the evening, sometimes rolling as many as eight games a night on a one-lane bowling alley installed under the North Portico of the White House in 1973.
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Bowling is America’s No. 1 participatory sport. Check out these homes in Florida, Michigan and Washington where bowling lanes are just one option to spend your, ahem, spare time.
Florida | $2,890,000
704 NE Seventh St., Pompano Beach
Listed by: Faye Bruner | Balistreri Real Estate Inc.
Square feet: 8,689
Acreage: unavailable
Bedrooms: 7
Bathrooms: 7 (six full)
Year built: 2011
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There is plenty of fun to be had here. In a single day, the owner of this luxurious Mediterranean estate could not only go bowling, but also swim in a saltwater pool, soak in the hot tub, sweat in the sauna, play billiards, work out or catch a flick.
Showcasing the opulent tone of the house throughout are soaring 12 to 23-foot decorative ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows in the foyer and grand room, and a grand sweeping staircase.
The first-floor primary suite is huge and has the dreamy spa bath homebuyers at this price point expect. The star is the custom closet with a massive amount of space — much of it behind glass — to hang clothing, built-in shoe racks, built-in chests and plenty of drawer space.
There are four more bedrooms on the second floor, two of them ensuite. The executive office overlooks the grand foyer, and an expansive open balcony overlooks the fenced private yard and pool.
The turn-key home has a double-gated entry and security cameras. Peek inside for more photos.
Michigan | $15,000,000
5240 Waverly, Charlevoix
Listed by: John Murray | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Real Estate
Square feet: 4,359
Acreage: 64.5 acres
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 6 (4 full)
Year built: 2012
A playground awaits outside behind more than 64 acres of groomed forest to offer privacy and seclusion of this Lake Charlevoix estate owned for a century by the owners of Sears, Roebuck and Co.
One thing that makes it stand out is its 1,520-foot natural sand beach — a feature found along only 10 percent of the lake’s 56-mile shoreline. The beach has a private pavilion, sand volleyball court and custom dock. The vast estate is professionally landscaped and has hiking trails, streams and bridges
A three-car garage is attached. A separate 6,000-square-foot storage building has a six-car garage and also houses the entertainment area Inside the custom-built house, there’s a two-lane bowling alley, hot tub and sauna, pool and shuffleboard tables, a large fireplace, and a custom bar.
The main house is a stunner, with an open floor plan and custom kitchen and baths allowing for comfortable living and entertaining. Peek inside for more photos.
Washington | $14,995,000
7721 SE 17th St., Vancouver
Listed by: Jonathan Romano | Knipe Realty ERA Powered
Square feet: 13,686
Acreage: 1.15 acres
Bedrooms: 7
Bathrooms: 12 (8 full)
Year built: 2016
Click Here: Samon Rugby Shop
It’d be a blast to live here, too.
This masterpiece with spectacular waterfront views of the Columbia River is sleek and modern, but at the same time comfortable and inviting. The great room has an automated 39-foot opening to allow for indoor/outdoor living. Floor-to-ceiling windows let the light in.
For entertainment without leaving the estate, there’s a two-lane bowling alley, game room, TrackMan golf simulator, and seven-screen media room. Outdoors, there’s a pool, rooftop deck, 1,000-square-foot putting green and an athletic court.
The owner’s suite has a huge walk-in shower with multiple heads and a soaking tub. There are three laundry rooms. Peek inside for more photos.
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