The Montreal home of Senator Leo Kolber, who died in January, is on the market for $15 million.
Kolber, a senator of 20 years, was appointed by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and chaired the powerful Senate Banking Committee. He “was renowned for both his prodigious fundraising efforts and the simple joy he derived from being among friends and acquaintances,” says a news release from Christie’s International Real Estate. “Kolber and his wife purchased the property in 1974. It is located at the top of a mountain in Montreal’s exclusive Westmount enclave and set among 35,000 square feet of prime land across the street from Summit Woods, a flower and bird sanctuary. Downtown Montreal is a 10-minute drive away.”
The Kolber estate is represented by Christina Miller of Profusion Realty.
The home has seen many parties over the years, hosting celebrities such as Frank Sinatra and Luciano Pavarotti.
“Senator Leo Kolber and his wife (Ronith) loved to entertain and built a home where they could do so in style. This is a rare opportunity for a like-minded homeowner to acquire an exceptional residence to carry on the tradition,” says Miller.
In 1987, they decided to raze the existing structure and build the current 20-room residence of five bedrooms and five-and-one-half baths. One of the architectural highlights of the home is a 20-foot cylindrical entry with an oculus that floods the interiors with light while serving as an axis point for the home’s main rooms. There is a grand reception room, which accommodates 200 guests, formal dining room, stunning library with rich red walls and a more intimate seating area, all warmed by fireplaces. The details, designed by Canadian architect Erol Argun, include artistic ceiling treatments and wood flooring with decorative inlay.
A view of the stunning red library.
Other features of the 9,940-square-foot home include “a chef’s kitchen with breakfast room, completely updated four years ago; a butler’s pantry connecting the kitchen to the formal dining room for seamless catering; a 1,000-bottle wine cellar; a media room; and a main-level primary suite with enormous walk-in closets and dressing areas, pampering separate baths and direct access to the garden,” says the release.
The outdoor space includes a pool, gazebo and terraces opening up to the main rooms of the home. There is also a four-car garage, geothermal heating and an elastomeric membrane roof.
Kolber attended Montreal’s McGill University at age 16 where he met his lifelong friend, Charles Bronfman, of the Seagram’s Distillery family. After graduating from law school, Kolber began working for the firm and rose to become the trusted advisor to patriarch Samuel Bronfman.
He founded Cadillac Fairview Corporation and worked on projects such as Toronto’s TD Centre and Westmount Square, both Mies van der Rohe designs.
He was also a fundraiser for Montreal’s universities and hospitals and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. He was also a devoted supporter of Jewish causes and developed a close friendship with Shimon Peres, president of Israel from 2007 to 2014.
The Christies release says celebrities including Frank Sinatra, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Harry Belafonte, Luciano Pavarotti, Danny Kaye and Truman Capote were among the guests in the home.
“Montreal is at once charming yet a true international city with its fine universities and cultural outlets. To own such a significant property so close to downtown in an ultimately private setting and surrounded by nature is rare indeed,” says Kathleen Coumou, executive director of Christie’s International Real Estate.
