Glass showplace

Rhea Isaacs will miss experiencing the seasons through walls of glass, especially when the skating rink on Lake of the Isles is lit up on winter nights. But she won't miss maintaining the 6,500-square-foot home or its grounds. "I'm ready for a loft," she said.

Isaacs has lived in the house for 30 years, most of that time with her late husband, Fred Isaacs, who was chairman of the board of American Iron & Supply Co., a scrap metal processor.

Now their sprawling contemporary residence on E. Lake of the Isles Parkway is the highest-priced Minneapolis home on the market.

Businessman Arthur Melamed built the ultra-mod home in 1958 on the site of the famous Gates mansion, a 38,000-square-foot behemoth that was demolished in 1933, a casualty of the Great Depression. All that remains from the Gates mansion is a low stone wall bordering the lot.

In 1989, the Isaacses renovated the entire house.

"It was a great 1950s house," said Isaacs. "But we wanted larger, more open rooms for entertaining."

With the help of California designer James Callahan, they added several thousand square feet, including outdoor atriums that offered views of the scenic urban lake.

The home has long been considered unique, in part because its modern facade stands in contrast to the traditional homes around it. When it sells, lake walkers will no longer be able to catch a glimpse of the white grand piano, which stands like a sentinel in a window that's lit at night.

"It made the home a landmark on the lake," Isaacs said.

Debbie McNally of Remax Results has the listing; 612-388-1790.