Lindenwold Castle For Sale At Auction

Wow, is my initial thought, immediately followed by disappointment and sadness. Lindenwold Castle (now commonly referred to as Mattison Estate), the once prized jewel of our Ambler area, now lies in a state of disgrace and is being sold to the highest bidder at auction. The opening bid is set at $1,500,000, with bidding open now through 4pm on the auction date, December 17, 2024.

With the Mattison Estate residential project now sold out and the 501 at Mattison Estate in full swing, it was presumed that the castle would be near completion and bustling by now, but apparently, that is far from the case. According to the listing, “Current ownership has spent over $3,000,000 on renovations since 2019 and proposed plans are in place converting the property into a mixed-use development featuring 11 residential apartments, ground level commercial space and surface parking. The property is zoned MRH (Mixed Use Residential Historical District) and potential allowable uses include single-family, multi-family, senior living and mixed residential/ commercial office uses. Proposed plans have been approved by The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. The interior of the building is currently being prepped for new development by a new owner.”

The property is being auctioned by Paramount Realty USA (212.867.3333 · prusa.com), the listing can be viewed below, as well pertinent auction information. The listing includes a handful of photos from the castle, but if you’ve never been and would like to see a little more, here are some photos that I took during a visit in 2012. 

Edit to add the following comment/quote from Jennifer Robinson, employee of Preservation Alliance: “The building cannot be demolished. The Mattison “Castle” is protected by a preservation easement held by the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia that covers the full exterior and certain interior spaces from demolition and unapproved alterations. The easement protects the building in perpetuity, no matter who owns it. The easement does allow for some modifications to the interior spaces that require the Alliance’s review and approval before they are implemented. I manage the Alliance’s easement program and know this property well, if you have additional questions about the protections on the property please email me [email protected].”

500 Mattison Ave, Ambler (Upper Dublin)

Auction Documents