Judge cancels courthouse auction of Rutland Mansion

Neighbors are disappointed: They hoped a sale would produce a new owner to care for the property.

By JON WILSON, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 5, 2003

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rutland mansion remains in limbo.

The million-dollar house at 5030 Sunrise Drive S was scheduled to be sold Monday at a courthouse auction. But a last-minute order from Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Anthony Rondolino stopped the sale.

The sale had been scheduled after the bankruptcy proceeding of owner Annette Martino was dismissed in December by bankruptcy Judge C. Timothy Corcoran III.

Proceeds were to pay several creditors, including mortgage holder Ocwen Federal Bank, which records say is owed $1,457,534.90.

The order canceling the sale was issued at the request of one of the creditors. It wasn't immediately clear why the cancellation was requested.

"Somebody rescued it for now. I don't know who, and I probably wouldn't be at liberty to say," said a Fort Lauderdale lawyer who has worked on the case for Ocwen Federal.

Martino could not be reached.

Residents of Bayou Bonita, where the mansion once was the showpiece of an estate of about 14 acres, have been concerned about the property for years. A failed condominium project has left unfinished buildings on untended lots. Records show Martino, the mansion owner, filed for bankruptcy four times after buying the house in 1998.

And last year, a woman moved into the mansion and tried to operate a faith-based private school, which soon closed, but neighbors remain concerned with code and safety issues.

Records show Angela Sweet, who operated Excellence Academy, was cited for failing to get both a certificate of occupancy and a special exception to run the school in a residential area.

Neighbors had hoped the foreclosure sale would produce a new owner who would take care of the property.

"I was so disappointed," said Cassie Rucks, who has lived in the neighborhood all her life.

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