Historic St. Armands home hits market at $12.7 million

A historic residence in the St. Armands division of John Ringling Estates has entered the market for $12.7 million. 

The home, the fifth constructed on St. Armands, was built in 1936 for Lavoris Chemical Company co-founder Charles Leigh. 

It was then passed down to Leigh’s daughter, Marian Leigh McKennon, and her husband, Joe McKennon, in the 1950s. The couple, who were touring performers, had a legacy with Ringling Brothers Circus. 

Joe McKennon also served as an assistant curator of the Ringling Circus Museum and was the author of three circus books before his death in 2001. Marian McKennon was an artist and a longtime champion of the Sarasota Opera until her death in 1998. 

The house, dubbed Casa Del Carnevale, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2018. 

“This architecturally significant home presents a rare opportunity to own a piece of Sarasota history," Realtor Lisa Rooks Morris of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty said. 

Casa Del Carnevale boasts 171 feet of water front with a private dock and views of Sarasota Bay.

A renovation expanded the home to nearly 10,000 square feet — with more than 7,800 square feet under air — while maintaining the integrity of its original design.

The house has five bedrooms, six-and-a-half bathrooms, multiple terraces, a central courtyard and a Romanesque pool. Additional luxuries include a wine room, billiard room, elevator and maid’s quarters.