Fifty Cent lists Connecticut mansion for $18.5 million; estate was once owned by boxer Mike Tyson

Rapper Fifty Cent, otherwise known as Curtis James Jackson III, is placing his 52-room, 48,515-square-foot mansion in Farmington, Conn. up for sale for $18.5 million.

The Associated Press first reported yesterday that a Hartford real estate agent had stated that Jackson’s mansion is up for sale, although it did not specify an asking price. Many other news outlets, including local Connecticut papers, followed, but none mentioned a specific asking price. Today, the New York Post and CNN both reported what we learned as well from one of the estate’s listing agents: that the mansion is on the market for $18.5 million. Somewhat puzzling is that a fledgling website that the listing agents recently set up for the mansion, featured a $15 million asking price late Friday. However, the agent that we spoke with told us that the $15 million figure was incorrect.

Public records show that Jackson, 31, purchased the mansion from Monica Turner Tyson, who is boxer Mike Tyson’s ex-wife, in September 2003 for $4.1 million. Tyson had signed the house over to his wife in December 2002 for $1, presumably as part of their divorce settlement.

Built in 1985 and situated on more than 17 acres on the edge of the Farmington Reservoir, the estate was put up for auction in 1992 after its first occupant, convicted real estate swindler Ben Sisti, needed funds to pay for his role in a realty company blowup. It later was owned by a bank and by a Lithuanian import-export businessman, who eventually sold it to Tyson in 1996 for $2.8 million.

Features in the mansion include about 18 bedrooms, 25 full baths, 14 half baths, two three-story spiral staircases, a full gym, two billiard rooms, racquetball courts, a disco, brass and marble fireplaces, several kitchens, four whirlpools, a sauna and a hot tub, according to news accounts. The estate includes a boathouse, a tennis court and servants’ quarters, according to news accounts. Jackson reportedly spent up to $6 million to renovate the house, the AP reported, including the addition of a helicopter pad, an infinity pool and spa with a grotto, new decks, windows and roofing, an entirely new main kitchen, a movie theater, and an updated master bedroom.

The estate’s address has its own odd history. Originally known as 46 Poplar Bars Road when Tyson owned it, Jackson changed the house number to 50, for obvious reasons. County records call the address 50 Poplar Street, while the website mentioned above obviously calls it 50 Poplar Hill Road, and Mapquest calls it 50 Poplar Hill Drive.

Finally, a hilarious 2005 New York Times article mentioned how elusive a figure Jackson was around town. Titled “A Wealthy Hartford Suburb Longs, Vainly, for a Rap-Star Neighbor’s Company,” the piece mentioned how seldom Jackson was seen in town.

Thanks to loyal reader Genevieve for tossing us this tip!

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