Gavankar's Amazing Joliet Mansion Struggles To Sell

JOLIET, IL - Peter "Pete" Gavankar came to the United States from India in 1960, and he became a shining success around Joliet. Now, five years since his death, people around the City of Champions still fondly remember Gavankar for inventing soft-serve ice cream machines. And Joliet residents also remember him for his Wow! house. In 1983, the founder of Rockdale Controls built an amazing mansion near Joliet's Inwood Park. The property has five acres. The home has seven bedrooms, seven full baths and a guitar-shaped indoor swimming pool. Gavankar's dream home comes with an elevator and a landing pad for your helicopter. The backyard, surrounded by woods, can easily accommodate hundreds of guests for your parties.

Since Pete Gavankar died in 2012 at age 74, efforts to sell the famous Joliet inventor's mansion at the right asking price haven't found success. So far, there have been no takers for 4 Eden Lane, even though the home was built by the man also credited for developing the controls of the Mr. Coffee machine and for a "classified" item on NASA's Gemini project.

"Peter was proud to be a U.S. citizen and often called his birth in India a geographical error," Gavankar's published newspaper obituary noted. "On the 50th anniversary of his arrival, he was honored by the U.S. Senate by having a flag fly over the U.S. Capitol. Peter achieved the American Dream and called his two daughters, Sonya Gavankar-McKay and Janina Gavankar, his best inventions."

On Friday, Joliet Patch featured the Gavankar mansion as part of our regular Wow! Houses. The story generated plenty of buzz on social media from readers with direct ties or familiarity to the Gavankar property off Jefferson Street. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Here are some of the Facebook comments from Patch readers:

• "I cleaned that house for 18 years. Loved working for Pete and Mohra Gavankar! I watched Janina and Sonya grow up."
• "If I'm not mistaken the inventor of soft served ice cream can afford to live here."
• "This house was owned by the Gavankar Family at one time. One of the daughters was on the HBO series, True Blood."
• "I know exactly where it is! Delivered mail there before. Off Houbolt Rd."
• "The Gavankar family. Truly wonderful people. Sadly, Mr. Gavankar passed away several years back, and their kids are grown and off being successful in their own names. The house had been for sale for the majority of the time since."

Initially, the Joliet home was available for $1,225,000. But there were no takers. Since August 25, 2015, the Gavankar property has been lowered six times.

• June 1, 2016: $1 million
• July 16, 2016: $895,000
• Sept. 3,2016: $875,000
• Oct. 5, 2016: $850,000
• Jan. 7,2017: $825,000
• July 21, 2017: $799,900

The current listing calls the home contemporary and notes it is "Custom, One of a kind!"