2 'serious buyers' looking at notorious Kessler mansion

The recent price-slashing of the famous "pimp house," or "dolphin mansion" on Indianapolis' Northeastside has generated some interest among potential buyers.

Tiff Atkinson has had the listing of the home at 4923 Kessler Boulevard E. Drive since March 31.

"I showed it to two serious buyers last week," Atkinson said.

The house is five garden-variety ranch houses cobbled together by former pimp Jerry "Mr. Big" Hostetler. He created a giant campus-o-fun, with balconies, spiral staircases, wet bars, a grotto with a hot tub, a ballroom, a swimming pool, dolphin statuary and on and on.

"One cannot even begin to describe" the place, said Atkinson, who then tried to describe it: "Lots of architectural design, very private, two or three parking garages."

But it is no hot property. In February, 2012 seller Chad Folkening, an Indiana-born, Florida-based tech entrepreneur, put the house for sale at $2.2 million. In December 2013, the price came down to $1,295,000. Last week, it was lowered further, to $862,000.

Atkinson, an agent with Carpenter Realtors, said both of the potential buyers have shown proof they are financially able to purchase the house. Neither has made an offer, she said.

Atkinson said although the home is zoned for residential use, she is emphasizing its versatility. She said it would be a good venue for business meetings, as well as parties, wedding receptions and such - "formal and informal gatherings, from small crowds to hundreds of guests."

For most of his adult life, Hostetler was a minor celebrity around Indianapolis. He made the papers, first in 1964 when, known to police as "Mr. Big," he pleaded guilty to two charges of pandering, running prostitutes.

A report filed by a probation officer said: "When asked how he became involved in the business, (Hostetler) said it was difficult to pass up that easy money."

Hostetler, physically imposing at 6-2 and 300 pounds (and often sporting a medallion and sometimes a pony tail), later started a construction company that specialized in fixing fire/smoke-damaged properties. Today he is best known for the monument he built to himself on Kessler Boulevard East Drive.

Starting from a three-bedroom ranch house, where he lived in the '60s, for a short time with a wife and infant daughter, Hostetler gradually bought up his neighbors' houses and combined them.

By the time his creditors closed in on the place, Hostetler was up to some 23,000 square feet.

After the foreclosure he landed in a small ranch house on East 80th Street, which he immediately began expanding, adding his signature balconies, an eight-car garage, and so on.

He died in the 80th Street house, alone, in August 2006 at age 66 and was buried in Washington Park East Cemetery in an unmarked grave.

In 2010, the Baja Men, of "Who Let the Dogs Out?" fame, used the Kessler house as a home base for several weeks while on a comeback tour of the Midwest.

Three years later the house played host to VentureCamp, a sort of boot camp for young, would-be tech entrepreneurs. The goings on were filmed in the hopes of launching a Reality TV show. The show has not yet become a reality.

Contact Star reporter Will Higgins at (317) 444-6043. Follow him on Twitter @WillRHiggins.