Financial troubles doomed $25 million Burr Ridge mansion that
owner says was a tribute to cultural integration
April 01, 2011
By Ted Gregory, Tribune reporter
Dr. Husam Aldairi envisioned his dramatic mansion as a monument to the blending of cultures. He named it Villa Taj and made it hard to miss.Situated on a prominent intersection in the exclusive Chicago suburb of Burr Ridge, the home has a gold Jerusalem limestone exterior done in neo-Byzantine Moorish revival. The interior, appointed in Brazilian wood and Italian marble, features nine fireplaces, a soaring ballroom and 20-car basement garage.
But the path to completion became a nightmare. Residents who mistakenly thought a mosque was being built phoned Village Hall and complained. Aldairi, a dentist, says officials unfairly imposed excruciating construction delays. Then came a sexual harassment judgment against his business — not him — and a bankruptcy filing. Finally, in late February, pipes burst in the unoccupied mansion and an estimated 6 million gallons of water soaked the home.
An estate once valued at $25 million is now in receivership. The village is expecting a crew to strip the interior and cart away debris. And what was meant as a monument to cultural fusion — the name Villa Taj is an Italian-Persian mix meaning "crown jewel country residence" — now faces an uncertain future.
Read The Rest of Ted Gregory's Tribune Report Here
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