Former Morgan Stanley CEO lists lavish Virgin Islands estate for $29.5M after $18M overhaul
Former Morgan Stanley CEO John Mack and his wife, Christy, are parting ways with their ultra-luxe beachfront estate in the British Virgin Islands, listing it for $29.5 million after pouring $18 million into a massive renovation.The couple’s journey with the property began in 2011, when, while on a yacht in the area, the captain suggested they check out a piece of land slated for development into a high-end resort, Bloomberg reported.Despite a miserable, rainy day, the Macks took the plunge and bought a raw plot in the emerging Oil Nut Bay community on Virgin Gorda’s northeast tip.
What started as a dream, however, quickly turned into a years-long design nightmare.The couple struggled to find an architect and a design they liked.
In 2015, they swapped their empty lot for a beachside spec house, but quickly realized it needed a total makeover.“I can’t do this.
We have to gut it,” Christy told the outlet, recalling telling her family after spending just a few days in the home.And gut it they did — knocking down walls, moving doors and redesigning the entire space.
The result is a sprawling 6,000-square-foot oasis with six bedrooms, a pool, a hot tub and direct access to the beach.“It was nice to have everything at your fingertips,” Christy said of the property’s prime location, which is just steps from the community’s club, tennis courts and gym.
Despite the great setting, the interior was a different story.Christy hated the original design, calling it impractical and a waste of space.“It wasn’t to my taste,” she told Bloomberg.
To transform the house into something that could host everything from intimate family gatherings to cocktail parties, the Macks tore down everything.They even had to rebuild some of their renovations after a hurricane hit the island in 2017.
Four years later, the couple finally moved in for good, spending extended periods at the house during the pandemic.But now, they’re ready to move on.
“Our kids want to...