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Location: Miami Beach, Fla.
Price: $19,500,000
The Skinny: Now known as the house where Rosie O'Donnell keeps her stuffed shark, this mansion on Miami's tony Star Island was once home to a marijuana-smoking, preportedly religious organization known as the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, which had its roots in Jamaican Rastafarianism. The subject of much media attention during the 1970s, when neighbors complained of "clouds" of weed smoke drifting over their property. Law enforcement and the church fought a protracted legal battle that ended with several church members facing jail time. The house (which can be seen in CBS footage from the 70s) has been substantially altered since the EZCC moved out. O'Donnell purchased the property in 1999 for $6.75M and spent millions more refitting it to her standards. The white roof was replaced with a red tile version, the facade refinished in beige stucco, and an inland addition added. The result is an 11,000-square-foot Mediterranean-style manse with 12 bedrooms, 11.5 bathrooms, and few hints of the 1923 original, currently listed by O'Donnell for $19.5M. For more Miami property gossip, check out the brand-new Curbed Miami, debuting today.
· 43 Star Island Drive [Zillow]
· Holy Smoke [CBS News Archives]
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