Burst Pipe Puts Villa Taj Under Water

Villa Taj, the 45,000-square-foot mansion located at Plainfield and County Line Road, and once listed for $26 million, may be one of the more costly casualties of Chicago's bitter cold winter as a pipe-break flooded three floors of the custom home.

“I would describe the damage as very extensive,” said Community Development Director Doug Pollock. “Half of the interior has seen damage to the point that the wall finishings and flooring will have to be removed and replaced.”

He said a large area of the house will have to be gutted and refinished.

A real estate agent entered the house on Saturday, March 6 for a showing and discovered that pipes had burst and there was water throughout the house, according a written statement by Village Administrator Steve Sticker.

Pollock, the Pleasantview Fire District and Burr Ridge's consulting builder visited the house and Pollock said that damage was severe enough for a stop work order on the the property.

Pollack said the village has already received calls from demolition companies inquiring about pulling building permits.

“The owners are in the process of moving forward and trying to get something done,” Pollock said.

Construction on the house began in 2005 for owner Dr. Husam Aldairi and was completed in 2009. It was never been lived in and has been on the market since that time.

The Taj houses a ballroom, conservatory, library, 20-car garage and an "imperial bedroom suite" of more than 2,500 square feet, acording to the Villa Taj Website. The home also has some more exotic features such as Italian marble, Jerusalem limestone and gold-leaf wall detailing.

Stricker said as the village understands it, MB Financial Bank controls the ownership of the property and is in the process of having their insurance adjusters review the damage.