By DAVID ADAM
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
HANNIBAL, Mo. -- James and Robin Gillette of Fountain, Fla., have bid $710,000 to buy the historic Rockcliffe Mansion.
The couple have made a $35,000 down payment, and they have 30 days to inspect the home at 1000 Bird.
James Gillette is a developer in Bay County, Fla., and his residence in Fountain is about 10 miles outside Panama City. When contacted at his home, he declined to talk about his plans should he succeed in acquiring Rockcliffe.
"I won't answer any questions. I'm a rather private person," he said. "I'll be glad to talk when I get there."
John S. Hodge, a bankruptcy trustee with Weiner Weiss and Madison in Shreveport, La., was appointed to oversee the Rockcliffe mansion after previous owner Rick Rose filed for bankruptcy April 30. Hodge did not return calls to The Herald-Whig.
A bankruptcy court judge is expected to approve a bid on the home at a hearing Nov. 2 in Shreveport.
The bid by the Gillettes is the third offer on the home in the past three months.
Ken and Lisa Marks of Maplewood made a $10,000 deposit on the mansion when they filed a letter of intent to buy it July 28, and they have been living in the home since early September. But they missed an Oct. 1 deadline to come up with $700,000 in financing to buy the home.
Lisa Marks says "it's business as usual" at Rockcliffe, with tours still being given daily, and they are working with lenders and private investors to "try to work out our next move."
Stephen and Susan Hritz of suburban Denver bid $705,000 for the home earlier this month, but the couple withdrew the bid days later.
Kristy Trevathan, a Realtor with Prestige Realty of Hannibal, is the buying agent for the Gillettes. She says they have remained interested in the home even after the Marks and Hritz bids.
"They walked through the property around the first of September, and they like what they see here," Trevathan said.
Trevathan said the Gillettes "love historic properties" and are seeking estimates and inspections for potential renovation work.
"It's never had central air conditioning, there are roofing issues, and they would like to restore the porch. There's a lot of deferred maintenance on the home," she said.
"They're doing their due diligence. They are committed to see what it will take not only to purchase it, but to renovate it."
Trevathan said she does not know whether the Gillettes plan to keep the home open for tourists.
Lisa Marks says she knows that other interested buyers have indicated they would make Rockcliffe a private residence.
"I'm not referring to Mr. Gillette specifically, because I don't know his plans, but it's hard for us to understand how someone from out of state who could choose any home in America to buy would be interested in turning Rockcliffe, one of Hannibal's most important landmarks, into a private residence and denying others the chance to be a part of the mansion," she said.
"I guess I don't think they understand how people in Hannibal really feel about Rockcliffe."
One of James Gillette's current projects is a retail site in Florida called the Galleria at Callaway that began in June 2006. A few stores have opened on the site, but a proposed family entertainment center that was to be the centerpiece has been delayed.
-- dadam@whig.com/221-3376
