A luxurious suburban Chicago mansion that gained fame as the Lyon family’s home on the hit Fox series “Empire” has finally sold on April 28 — but for a fraction of its original asking price.
Inside the Famous Mansion
The 17,600-square-foot French Provincial-style estate in Barrington Hills closed last week for $6.5 million, more than a decade after it was first listed in 2013 for $15.9 million. The final sale price represents a deep 59 percent discount and a loss of $9.4 million from the initial ask.
Despite the dramatic markdown, the deal still ranks as the second-most expensive home sale ever in Barrington Hills, trailing only a $7.5 million property buy in 2012.
The mansion, located at 45 Lakeview Lane, was owned by Salvatore “Sam” Cecola, a longtime Chicago businessman and co-owner of the Admiral Theatre strip club. Cecola completed construction in 2008 and began marketing the property shortly after, but despite multiple price cuts and high-profile exposure from “Empire,” the home remained unsold for more than a decade.
The estate was a central filming location for the show, which aired from 2015 to 2020 and featured the mansion as the palatial residence of music mogul Lucious Lyon and his family. It was also named Illinois’ most beautiful home for sale by Architectural Digest in 2017.
Spanning 8.5 acres, the three-story mansion includes six bedrooms, a walnut-paneled library, floor-to-ceiling windows, a barreled ceiling in the foyer, a walk-out lower level with a full bar and kitchen, home theater, poker and billiards rooms, and an elevator. Outdoor features include a private dock, swimming pool, fire pit, and a porte cochere.
According to Crain’s Chicago Business, 45 homes priced at $4 million or more have sold so far in 2025 — up from 27 at this time last year and on pace to match or exceed 2022’s record-breaking year for high-end sales.
royd12