A new listing in Westhampton Beach is making the upper echelon stand up, take notice and even consider crossing the Shinnecock canal -- a $39 million historic estate. “Where else can you find 10 acres on the water in a Stanford White era home with 16,000 square feet?” asks exclusive agent Marcia Altman with Brown Harris Stevens. At a recent open house for a few select brokers there was one word whispered about, “Gatsby.” West Egg has clearly arrived.
Set on Quantuck Bay with 1,000 waterfront feet with its own deepwater dock, the estate is grand by design, the vision of the same architect who went on to design the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Henry Bacon, formerly of McKim, Mead & White was commissioned by a coal baron William C. Atwater to build the Shingle Style manor house in 1903. The main drive is still lined with the century old catalpa trees, which also grace the Champs Elysees.
The three-story main house has 24 rooms with nine bedrooms, six fireplaces, and it retains much of the original craftsmanship and grandeur of entertaining from a banquet-sized formal dining room with hand-painted murals to a Lord & Burnham greenhouse with custom tables for intimate dinners. The expansive estate also includes a tennis court, 56-foot pool and spa, six-car garage, carriage house, guest cottage, and a two story gardener’s house with a separate driveway (note to Lady Chatterley.)
The current owners, one of only three in the estate’s history, bought the property in the early ‘90s and set about a huge renovation to preserve the fine details of the grande dame while bringing her into the modern amenity world. Wishing to spend time at their other properties around the world, the owners have put the estate on the market.
“We see a potential buyer who wants something unique and unmatched, possibly someone in show business or an industrialist or a European or a Middle Easterner who frequents New York,” says Altman pointing out Gabreski Airport is a mere seven minutes away and can accommodate the largest of private jets.
While the next highest listing in Westhampton Beach is a $19 million home on two acres, a comparable property may be "Old Trees" in Southampton. This similar venerable waterfront estate with architectural pedigree reportedly went into contract not too far from its $43 million asking price.
The estate is listed with Marcia Altman, Mark Roter and Charles Manger of BHS Westhampton (631) 288-5500.
Our real estate columnist Heather Buchanan lives in Sag Harbor. Email her with comments and tips and see more of her writing at HamptonsHeather.com
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