In the 1930s, Sarasota was buzzing with circus stars, Gilded Age money, and Mediterranean Revival mansions springing up along its waterfront. One of the finest survivors of that era, Casa del Carnevale — a nationally registered historic estate with roots in John Ringling’s glittering circle — has just hit the market for $17.5 million.
Built in 1936 for industrialist Charles E. Leigh, co-founder of the Lavoris Chemical Company, the home has been lovingly maintained by only four owners in nearly 90 years. Its Venetian carnival details and hand-crafted finishes nod to the cultural legacy Ringling himself brought to Sarasota, where circus lore still lingers in the architecture.
Now listed by Judy Kepecz-Hays and her team — Steven Kepecz and Leah George of Coldwell Banker Realty — the property is the most expensive home currently for sale in the John Ringling Estates…