Lake Bluff mansion resembling an Italian Villa listed for $20M

A Lake Bluff mansion hit the market this week at $19.5 million, making it the third-highest residential listing in the Chicago area.

James Zenni, president and CEO of Z Capital Management, and his wife, Lisa, are selling the six-bedroom, 10,000-square-foot home at 700 Crab Tree Farm Lane, according to Crain’s.

Zenni did not respond to a request for comment, and listing agent Andra O’Neill of @properties declined to discuss the sellers.

The home sits on 13 acres, with 690 feet of Lake Michigan frontage and a vineyard. It features a grand staircase, a home gym and large formal terrace.

O’Neill said the home is reached by a private lane and told Crain’s it is built “like a castle.”

The most expensive listing on the market in the area is a Lincoln Park mansion whose owners are seeking $50 million, followed by a Gold Coast mansion listed for $21.9 million.

Musician Richard Marx and his ex-wife, actress Cynthia Rhodes, are asking $9 million for their lakefront mansion in Lake Bluff, four years after first listing it for twice that.

In neighboring Lake Forest, the Wyldwoode estate is listed for $15 million.

Even though the Chicago area luxury market has been robust, there still are some languishing listings, including several on the North Shore. [Crain’s] — John O’Brien