Vince Fumo has finally sold his Philly mansion

Former Pennsylvania State Sen. Vince Fumo finally sold his multimillion-dollar Spring Garden mansion this week — but for less than he’d hoped in several attempts over the years.

The once-powerful Philadelphia Democrat, who went to prison for fraud, had asked for $7 million for the property back in 2007 — the year he was indicted on corruption charges that were, in part, tied to the property.

Fumo listed the brownstone Victorian mansion for $3.95 million in 2022 and for $3.25 million last year.

This spring, the nearly 10,000-square-foot home was listed for about $2.9 million. And on Tuesday, a couple in their 30s bought the property for $2.6 million.

Fumo, who is in his 80s, “was very attached to that property,” said listing agent John Bolaris, managing partner at BLACKLABEL Keller Williams, based in Center City. And he fell into a common trap: “Everyone feels their home is worth a lot more than it actually is.”

The property is beautiful but needs work, which was reflected in the sale price, Bolaris said. The home inspection report spanned more than 130 pages.

Even though the house sold for less than its latest and previous listing prices, the sale was the biggest in the Art Museum area in the last three years, according to BLACKLABEL Keller Williams.

Historic mansions such as the one at 2220 Green St. take a specific kind of buyer who cares about the history, wants a massive space, can spend millions to buy the property, and has more money to renovate it.

“It’s hard to move those estates,” Bolaris said, especially in the currently soft market.

The new owners were drawn to the property’s historical features, elegance, and size and want to use the mansion as a multigenerational home, he said.

The owners plan to live in the home during renovations. There’s plenty of space.

The six-level mansion has six bedrooms, seven full bathrooms, three half-bathrooms, and a two-car garage. There’s both a guest suite and a full apartment with its own entrance. A 2,000-square-foot courtyard out back has a fireplace, built-in grilling area, and landscaping.

The historically designated home was built in 1885 for Samuel B. Fleisher, a 19th-century clothing magnate. The property was apartments when Fumo bought it in 1994 for $175,000.

Fumo, a member of the Pennsylvania Senate from 1978 to 2008, renovated and expanded the home, where he hosted political fundraisers.

Federal prosecutors contended, among other accusations, that the former political power broker got his Senate staff to oversee major renovations and do housekeeping work at his home. He was convicted in 2009 of defrauding the Senate and was sentenced to prison.

After his conviction, Fumo posted bail by giving the government the right to seize his Spring Garden home, as well as a farm outside Harrisburg and his homes at the Jersey Shore and in Florida.

The Philadelphia mansion includes a shooting gallery, a vault, an elevator, a roof deck with city skyline views, a large brick wine cellar, and two full kitchens, including a commercial one for hosting events. It has sculptured fireplaces and marble finishes.

“It’s totally different than any modern home you’d be in,” Bolaris said. “When you go through that home, it’s like going through a museum.”