In the late-1920s, Sears co-founder Alvah C. Roebuck moved to Gulfport and built a small handful homes in an area he renamed Roebuck Park. Now, one of these rare historic homes is on the market.
Located at 5221 Delette Ave. S, the Mediterranean-style home was built in 1926 by Roebuck, who moved to Gulfport with his wife, Sarah B., and their two children to take part in the Florida real estate boom in 1925.
According to records, Roebuck bought a subdivision between 52nd and 53rd streets and 29th and 31st avenues, and started building several Sears catalog "kit homes." However, he quickly shifted his focus to Mediterranean-style homes, like this one, which featured barrel-tile roofs and stucco sides.
It's believed Roebuck completed around 20 homes in total, including the two estates he personally owned (one at 5233 Delette Ave., and another at 2920 53rd St. S.).
While in Gulfport, Roebuck served on City Council for three years, and unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 1929. But Roebuck and his family eventually left Tampa Bay and returned to Chicago to work for Sears in 1933, after the Great Depression left him virtually broke.
Today, this particular Roebuck house is selling for $1.25 million. The 2,319-square-foot home comes with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, as well as a guest house, a workshop, a courtyard with fountain, and more, says the listing.
The listing agent is Shoba Jagernauth of Coastal Properties Group.
Every house has a story, and our mission is to tell Tampa Bay's story through the lens of our community's historic and colorful homes. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's real estate features are not ads, and are strictly operated through our editorial department. But we love public input. Do you know of a unique Florida home that we should highlight? Let us know, and email [email protected].
