This $8.95M Staten Island home could set a dirty record

Why drop nearly $9 million on an apartment in Manhattan when you can own a sprawling Staten Island estate, complete with its own hair salon and basketball court, for the same price?

Now, a mansion on Staten Island with over-the-top inclusions aims to find a new buyer — and for $8.95 million, also aims to set a record for the borough’s priciest home sale.

The Wall Street Journal first reported news of the superlative listing.

If the sellers get that asking price, it’ll blow past Staten Island’s current record of $4.6 million, set just last year. According to Tom Le of Corcoran, who’s handling the sale, this could be Staten Island’s moment to shine, as it’s often regarded as the city’s forgotten borough.

Built in 2021, the house was a passion project for Richard and Vania Cardinale, the couple behind Farm to Bagel, a popular Staten Island bagel chain.

They bought the half-acre plot in 2017 for $1.7 million and sank another $6 million into turning it into their dream home. But now, with plans to start a farm in New Jersey, the couple has decided to cash in.

The European-style mansion boasts more than 11,000 square feet of luxury features. Think limestone and reclaimed brick exteriors, a slate roof — and a grand foyer featuring a 750-pound, handblown glass chandelier flown in from England.

Inside, there’s everything from a full gym to a steam room and sauna. And then there’s the hair salon, which is decked out not only for trims, but also doubles as a DJ booth for their youngest daughter, who moonlights as a DJ.

There’s a lounge with two TVs, perfect for gaming and movie nights at the same time. Additionally, there is a wine-laden lounge, where a massive aquatic tank houses Richard’s collection of lionfish. The outdoor space features a resort-like pool and waterfall cascading from a Koi pond into a cozy courtyard, complete with a fire pit.

There is also an indoor-outdoor basketball court.

The house is right across the street from Staten Island’s current most expensive property, listed at a staggering $16.8 million, which has been on the market for a year without any buyers.

Homes on Staten Island typically go for a much more modest price — averaging around $690,000 in August, a 3.8% bump from last year, according to Redfin.