After Arson Accusation, Couple to Rebuild Villanova Mansion

The fire that gutted an historic Radnor Township mansion last April had community members and neighbors of the Villanova estate reeling.

The dramatic scenes from the day, the feared loss of a piece of Radnor history, and later an accusation of arson has made the mansion, named Bloomfield, one of the most intriguing local news stories of late.

The Canadian couple who was renting the home during the fire, Julie Charbonneau and Dean Topolinski, earlier this year accused of setting the fire, now own the seven-acre property and plan to restore it to former glory.

"The couple acknowledge it will take many years and many millions to rebuild what is left of Bloomfield. Yet Charbonneau said she never considered abandoning her plans to make the home a showplace that would bring her recognition in the United States," Philly.com reports in an interview with Charbonneau and Topolinski.

She is a well-known interior designer and he is a businessman.

The arson lawsuit settlement reached this year gave both sides far more cash than either paid, or ever offered to pay, for the estate designed by Horace Trumbauer, Philly.com reported.

Topolinski told the newspaper, "Ultimately the facts helped with bringing the truth out. . . . [The fire] was thoroughly investigated by local and federal authorities and Chartis, who has a clear financial interest, and it was determined to be accidental."

The couple said the publicity from the fire and arson accusations has hurt their reputations.