Stunning Rhode Island Estate Lists for $17 Million—but It Comes With a Gargantuan (and Very Costly) Catch

An “incomparable” trophy estate in the Rhode Island enclave of North Kingstown has come on the market for $17 million. It features an array of exclusive amenities, from a koi pond and saltwater pool to a state-of-the-art home theater and an elevator.

But a closer glance at the listing photos reveals one rather divisive feature: a 411-foot wind turbine that sits just a stone’s throw from the front door, its blades looming over the home as it pumps out a constant stream of clean energy.

The jarring addition to the property is not mentioned in the listing description, which instead focuses on the property’s “tranquil, luxurious” setting and “one-of-a-kind” amenities.

Built in 2012 by the property’s current—and only—owner, clean-energy entrepreneur Mark DePasquale, the wind turbine has already been at the center of a local controversy, when its former neighbors launched a very vocal objection to its construction.

That couple, who have since relocated to North Carolina, were paid $15,000 by DePasquale in return for agreeing to never publicly or privately disparage the wind turbine project again, according to local outlet The Independent.

DePasquale also agreed to purchase the couple’s home for $612,500, if they ever decided to move—or pay the difference up to that amount if they secured a lower offer.

In 2013, that couple sued, claiming that DePasquale had not met the terms of the agreement. However, that lawsuit was ultimately dismissed.

Intriguingly, though the wind turbine is located on the property, it is not included in the sale price.

According to the home’s listing agents, the sale includes the land on which the turbine sits—but not the machinery itself.

However, there is an opportunity for a new owner to make some money off the clean-energy source, provided they can stand the sight of it.

Pasquale’s company, Green Development LLC, which was responsible for constructing 10 wind turbines in the local area, currently leases the land on which the turbine sits—a deal that could continue if the new owner is amenable to it.

Should potential buyers wish to remove the wind turbine altogether, they can purchase it from Green Development LLC, disassemble it, and then sell it. If the land lease arrangement is not appealing, they can buy the turbine and continue to use it to power their home, and sell the extra energy back to the power company.

When DePasquale revealed his plans to build the turbine, it prompted outrage from the local community, according to The Independent.

“Hundreds of residents” attended more than 12 town meetings to discuss how the clean-energy installations would affect their neighborhood and their way of life, the outlet reported.

Among the central concerns were fears that the turbine might cause injury or even death if it were to malfunction, a potential loss in property value, and a negative impact on sound and light quality in the area.

In the wake of those meetings, the local council placed a moratorium on the addition of any new wind turbines in the area.

When it comes to DePasquale’s estate, anyone who is able to look past or put up with the wind turbine will find many other appealing aspects both inside and outside the property, which is known as Sprawling Oaks.

Built in 2007, the home has been completely reimagined. It is now “one of the most spectacular properties in the state,” says Kylie McCollough, who is co-listing the estate with Jennifer Crellin, both of Mott & Chace Sotheby’s International Realty.

“The elevated materials they used are incomparable. I haven’t seen this level of high-end design quality anywhere in the state.”

Some of those grand design features include a spiral staircase illuminated by a two-story, hand-blown 28-globe light sculpture and a one-of-a-kind wine room that could double as an art installation.

There are four spacious bedrooms and six bathrooms in 8,264 square feet of living space in the main house. The manicured grounds are dotted with specimen trees and mature plantings.

The property is being offered fully furnished, with “pieces of the highest quality,” the listing notes.

“An incomparable trophy property and expansive private gated compound surrounded by hundreds of acres of conservation land,” it says.

Additional outdoor amenities include the aforementioned saltwater pool and a cabana equipped with entertaining space, two kitchens, a bathroom, and a laundry.

There’s also a play area with an in-ground trampoline, a tres chic chicken coop, a stone pizza oven, and an outdoor sauna.

“This really is a private destination estate, in that once you arrive, you never have to leave,” says McCollough, observing that even the famous grand manors on the coast don’t have the same level of amenities and privacy.

She notes that tourists and beach visitors have easy ogling access to the nearby oceanfront properties, adding that even Taylor Swift‘s grand Rhode Island mansion overlooking the ocean has to deal with guests from the hotel next door peering into her property.