The benevolent Browns

VERMILION TWP. — By the hundreds, Register readers expressed their admiration for Waterwood Estate following a front-page news story and accompanying photo spread in the June 24-25 Weekender edition. But several others also shared their heartwarming sentiments about the main inhabitants who resided at this stunning, one-of-a-kind lakefront mansion for almost 20 years. Among the comments on social media in regard to spouses Donald and Shirley Brown: • Jason Kuhlman: It's so beautiful. Mr. and Mrs. Brown did a great job designing this. • Nicole Barylski Dinner: Mr. Brown was always very nice to my parents when they would run into him. • Gloria Velez Wragg: We used to see the Browns at Berardi's in Huron frequently. Nice couple. One person directly reached out to the Register, speaking fondly of both in a handwritten letter. "The Browns were always very kind to me," said Berlin Heights resident David Moon, who worked as a handyman around the property from 1993 to 2002. He also helped them move in and managed their garden. "When I got married, we got a nice gift, and my wife and I were treated to a dinner at the Twine House. They were always very kind." Those heartwarming sentiments don't shock Terri Pabon, who first began working for Donald 31 years ago. She continues to oversee the property and manage the estate. "He loved people," Pabon said. Donald, 89, and Shirley, 87, died together in a plane crash taking place in 2010 at the Lorain County Regional Airport. They were married for nearly 65 years. "The Browns taught me to find the good in everything," Pabon said. "With their death, at least it was quick, and they went together. I like to think she grabbed him by the hand and said, 'Don, it's time to go. Let's just go.'" Two weeks after the in-depth profile published about the property, readers sought a greater understanding of Donald and Shirley Brown, which Pabon provided. People power Pabon offered some additional insight into what made the Browns rich beyond their money. At any given time, several-dozen people would work for Donald at either his estate or for his invention company, typically under the name Vermilion Properties. No matter the worker's status or salary, Donald treated everyone like family, Pabon said. It was just his human nature. "He respected all of his employees and always shared a lot of things with us," said Pabon, who remembers Donald piloting a helicopter on her first day of work at Waterwood, taking them to lunch. Pabon also noted how Donald would let employees use his 60-foot yacht for weekend getaways to Kelleys Island and Put-in-Bay. "He was always thinking, if someone did something good, that person should be rewarded, a pay-it-forward thing," Pabon said. Pabon then recalled a trademark Donald move. "Around his home, he would carry $5 bills, and if he saw you do something good or knew you were having a bad day, he would just hand you a bill," Pabon said. "He thanked us in many different ways to show his support of us over the years. We meant a lot to him." A true innovator Donald rose to fame and received his fortune, in large part, due to inventing the suspension system for drop ceiling tiles. It's the reason why many people refer to Waterwood Estate as the "drop ceiling tile mansion." "The whole idea behind it, when offices or stores or hospitals had to use wiring and run cords everywhere, back then, you had to put it through walls," Pabon said. Donald filed for the patent for drop ceiling tiles on Sept. 8, 1958. The federal government awarded his patent nearly three years later on May 23, 1961. "The suspension system he created for the panels, you didn't have to tear down the ceiling: You could lift the panels and place whatever lines — electrical, plumbing or whatever else — in the ceiling, and it was concealed, for a cleaner look, and easy access to get to these wires," she added. "It became decorative as there are now all different types of styles." What's ironic, however, is the actual Brown estate doesn't feature much drop ceiling tile at all. In fact, it's only in one of the kitchens. Why's that? It simply didn't fit into the home's decor and layout. Family first Donald's innovative mind factored into Waterwood Estate's unique layout. The Browns acquired the 160-acre Vermilion-area site in 1986 and, a few years later, finished up construction work to live there. Totaling about 38,000 square feet, the estate boasts about 100 rooms, which consist of 17 bathrooms, six bedrooms, three kitchens, two indoor pools and many other spaces for entertaining or living purposes. The Browns "built and maintained the estate with such thoughtfulness, creativity and care that it deserves to be preserved and shared with the community," according to a statement from DiGeronimo Companies' development firm, which is working with the estate to transform this property into a multifaceted initiative known as Waterwood Resort. Among the more notable amenities found in Waterwood: • A gallery lift, an elevator-like structure, rising about 30 feet from within the floor up into an observation deck looking out onto Lake Erie • Rotating turntables, both for cars and motorized wheelchairs, so people with disabilities, including Donald, could move freely around the property no matter in garages, piers and elsewhere • A helipad and appropriate-sized hanger as Donald often rode in a helicopter for leisure and business purposes "He was an outside-the-box thinker, and so when he acquired the property, at the time, it wasn't for sale. A company owned the land and was going to make condos way back in the 1980s. He even bought it before Mrs. Brown knew about it," said Pabon, adding how the Browns lived in Westlake at the time. Donald created the turntable mechanism and other handicap-friendly features so he could easily get around such a spacious site. "An engineer by trade along with his architect background, he designed everything here," Pabon said. "If something didn't work for him, he would invent or reinvent something to make sure it did." Donald placed the pools and other fun aspects — rooms with dollhouses, play spaces for billiards and ping-pong, a barbershop, snowmobile storage and interactive models — throughout the house so his three sons and five grandchildren would often visit as they lived elsewhere. "The only thing he loved more than traveling was his grandchildren," Pabon said. "When he built this house, he always kept them in mind and not so much his children because they were already grown. When his grandchildren came to visit, he wanted to make sure they had a really good time and would want to come back. Anything he did, he just wanted to please his family." What will become of Waterwood? Based in Ohio, executives for DiGeronimo Companies detailed their plans to evolve Waterwood Estate into Waterwood Resort. The multimillion-dollar transformational project aims to provide new, upscale housing to meet the market's pressing demands. Additionally, the work should allow for opening up waterfront areas kept secluded for decades. But, maybe most importantly, all tasks circle back to preserving a couple's storied legacy, building, quite possibly, the most breathtaking home found anywhere on Ohio's north coast. Through a company statement, DiGeronimo executives offered some insight into the initial phase of a multifaceted initiative for what they're calling Waterwood Resort. "Phase 1 of the project will see the existing Waterwood Estate home converted into the Waterwood Resort, a resort community inspired by its lush natural surroundings with a particular focus on wellness," the statement read. "The Waterwood Resort will feature a new fine-dining restaurant helmed by Chef Fabio Salerno, a boutique inn for overnight guests, lakefront beaches, a marina, a fitness center and a new swimming pool and cabana bar overlooking Lake Erie," the statement read. "Flanking the estate are The Bluffs Townhomes and The Meadows Condominiums, both new construction contemporary residential offerings featuring uninterrupted lake views," it read. Regarding the numbers, Phase 1 features 26 townhomes, two condominium buildings along with Waterwood Resort. It's believed at least 150 people could live at the townhomes and condominiums. But people won't reside in the actual resort area formerly known as Waterwood Estate. "The Waterwood Resort expects to fully open by May 2025," the statement read. "Prior to that time, the resort will host select events and gatherings for both residents and community members. The first residential units are expected to finish in the last half of 2024." Phase 1 totals about $80 million, an expense DiGeronimo should fully fund. But what about the future phases? While under consideration, right now, plans show DiGeronimo possibly creating additional residential properties and maybe even a hotel. Firm executives value what the Browns put into this home and want to keep, rather than destroy, what they created. "Our goal is to build on (their) legacy by not changing it," the statement read. "We plan to preserve as much of the estate in its original form as possible." The firm then pivoted to talk about opening up this private space for public use. "In its second act, as a functioning resort, Waterwood becomes more fully integrated into the fabric of the community," the statement read. "Community members will now have the opportunity to experience Waterwood's beauty while the region benefits from the increased economic activity generated by the resort." By the numbers: Waterwood Resort Here's a look at the land's layout: Exterior, north side • 38,000 — overall building square footage • 2,300 — number of feet measured for lakefront area • 200 — height, in feet, of waterfall • 187 — number of feet for the dock; There's also a 80-foot-long ramp • 60 — number of acres • 2 — number of acres for the marina • 1 — miles of asphalt road Exterior, south side • 100 — number of acres; This includes 95 acres of land being leased for farming. • 2 — support buildings • 1 — greenhouse • 1 — fuel farm, containing a 500-gallon diesel and 1,500 gasoline tanks. Interior • 96 — telephones • 37 — total rooms; This number grows to 100 when factoring in areas for storage and mechanical. • 17 — bathrooms • 9 — fireplaces • 6 — bedrooms • 3 — kitchens • 2 — elevators • 2 — kitchenettes • 2 — interior swimming pools; There's a 40-foot-long lap pool and a 20-foot-diameter round pool. • 2 — 2-car garages • 1 — hot tub • 1 — sauna There's also a number of power doors and automatic lighting system.