ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A 97-year-old lakefront mansion known for its infamous prior owners was torn down by developers Wednesday.
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Bit by bit, an excavator ripped apart the walls of the ‘Bin Laden’ house, which was bought by Osama’s brother Khalil in 1980.
Khalil and his wife occupied the 17-acre property until September 12, 2001, when neighbors watched them get airlifted out.
Photos: Oakland’s century-old ‘Bin Laden’ mansion torn down
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Neighbors at the time described the family as “nice and normal.”
The house, located on West Colonial Drive near Oakland, went through periods of abandonment and restoration ever since the tragic day as it passed through several sets of hands.
Ultimately, it was left to rot and be defaced by vandals in recent years. Efforts by community members to preserve it failed.
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“It’s just overall a really sad day, especially something that could have been prevented,” one woman, who did not want to be identified, said as she watched the demolition. “It happens. It’s Florida. Everything’s prime real estate here, especially this piece of property.”
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