“Empire” home deal falls through — again

A suburban Chicago mansion featured in the FoxTV series “Empire” that once asked almost $16 million is back on the market again after its buyer backed out of a plan to buy it for $9.5 million.

The 17,500-square-foot home at 45 Lakeview Lane in Barrington Hills, built in 2008 by owners Sam and Geralyn Cecola, was placed under contract for $9.5 million in April before being listed again a month later, according to a public listing for the property. The 8.3-acre home had also been in contract in September 2021, when it was asking $7.5 million.

45 Lakeview Lane in Barrington (Zillow)

The most recent buyers backed out after deciding it was too far from their family, said eXp Realty’s Michael LaFido, the agent for the sellers. The home, about 40 miles northwest of the city, has attracted some interest after being relisted, he said.

It has six bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a large outdoor pool, boat slip and garage parking for nine cars, according to the listing. The estate has been featured as the home of lead actor Terrance Howard’s character Lucious Lyon on “Empire,” since 2014. The show concluded with its sixth season in 2020.

The property is an outlier in Barrington Hills, where homes haven’t sold for more than $5 million in recent years. Still, the luxury market in Chicago’s suburbs remains strong: Mansions in Kenilworth and Winnetka are at the top of the market, seeking $14 million and $16 million, respectively.

The Cecolas are the owners of the Admiral Theater strip club on Chicago’s North Side, a former vaudeville hall built in 1927. The couple listed their home for the first time in 2013 for $15.9 million. Successive price cuts cut the asking price to $9.5 million by 2019 and $7.5 million in May 2020.

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