Dick's Castle, New York

Protruding from the trees on a hillside above the eastern shore of the Hudson River, visible from public roads, is a nearly 100 year old 45,000 square foot Moorish castle that has never been finished, nor really been lived in (except by a caretaker). Evans Dick, a wealthy financier, started construction on his dream home in 1903, inspired by Spanish monuments like the Alhambra, in Granada. For financial reasons, construction stopped in 1911, after half of a projected $7 million was spent, and for over 50 years little more was done to the structure. This now locally legendary place has been on and off the market for many years, and was even owned for a while by the Dia Foundation (owners of other interesting landmarks such as the Spiral Jetty in Utah and the Lightning Field in New Mexico), hoping to turn the castle into a contemporary art center. After that idea was abandoned, it was sold again in 1986, and though another $2 million was then spent on the building, it was still without electrical and heating systems when it was sold yet again. Its 33 acres, 52 rooms, ten car garage, 25 fireplaces and 86 foot tall tower remain, and have been divided into condominiums by its current owner.