Much more than a single-family home on the river, the newly listed private estate once owned by a high-flying Oregon aviation entrepreneur is a showplace of superlatives.

Start with the property taxes, which are more than $100,000 a year.

Then look around the 25,000 square feet of living space -- equal to the Pittock Mansion and the Oregon governor's mansion combined.

More than $17 million was poured into the 46-acre property at 22111 Riverwood Road along the Willamette River in Dundee, and yet it was put on the market Tuesday, April 25, for $5,998,000 by listing agent Justin Harnish of Harnish Properties.

The name of the estate, Del Mar, hints at the original owner: Delford ("Del") Smith founded the Evergreen aviation empire, including Evergreen International Airlines and its subsidiaries. His pride and joy was the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, where Smith displayed the trophy of another big dreamer: Howard Hughes' WWII H-4 Hercules "Spruce Goose."

Smith's ambitious business ventures experienced ups and downs during his life, including bankruptcies, and after his death in 2014, his cherished museum struggled to stay open, but continues to survive.

In 2002, Smith set his sights on building a Mediterranean-style mansion, with five fireplaces, French doors and seemingly endless hardwood floors, in Yamhill County.

The kitchen has a butler's pantry, wine cooler and pricey stainless-steel appliances spread across 380 square feet.

Access most of the 11 bedrooms via an elevator. The 475-square-foot master suite, however, is on the main floor of the three-level house. The master suite's double walk-in closets can hold a boutique's worth of clothes.

In total, there are 12 full baths plus powder rooms, including those installed in staff quarters and a self-contained guest house that was design to look like one from the Victorian era. A massive structure enclosing the pool has arched, conservatory-style windows.

For outdoor entertainment, there is a lighted tennis court and a sports court. A fire pit fronts a wisteria-covered arbor supported by classic columns. Water features and European-style garden elements are organized around trimmed-hedge borders.

The asking price breaks down to $240 a square feet, which is more than the $200 median price per square foot in the area, as determined by the real estate database Redfin.

Greater still, Redfin estimates the payments for principal, interest, property taxes and homeowner's insurance after a down payment of $1.2 million would be $30,163 a month.

Who would love it? "A wine connoisseur who wants to entertain clients in wine country, possibly one who wants a luxury B&B, provided one could get it rezoned for that usage, and a tasting room to beat all tasting rooms," says Harnish.

-- Janet Eastman



jeastman@oregonian.com

503-799-8739

@janeteastman



