Hot Sales and Listings

With a Dollop of Hamptons Gossip 

New King of the Castle
Some big sales have happened over the past month. The sale of Sandcastle might not be the priciest, but it’s one of the best-known houses in the Hamptons. Built by Joe Farrell for his own family, the 11.5-acre spread has played host to celebrities such as Jay-Z and Beyoncé, who rented the place for a month in 2012, as well as Justin Bieber, Madonna and Donald Trump. 

With nearly every conceivable luxury amenity — tennis court, basketball, baseball diamond, bowling alley — the property was originally put up for sale more than a decade ago; at one point the ask was nearly $60 million. An open listing, the $31 million deal was made by Tal Alexander and Sara Goldfarb of Douglas Elliman Real Estate. As for the buyer, he’s an unidentified Florida billionaire. 

Big Meadow Lane Sale
Oceancastle, the historic Meadow Lane property, listed this summer for $75 million, has sold for $70 million. Listing broker Tim Davis of The Corcoran Group wouldn’t identify the buyer, but he did point out that the house needed major renovations that could end up costing upwards of $25 million.

The massive, 300-foot-long house rambles along the dunes with a nearly 1,000-square-foot living room contained within its roughly 19,000 square feet. With a total of 19 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms across the compound, there are seven oceanfront suites in the main house, plus a four-bedroom staff wing, a guest apartment and an attached guest “cottage,” plus a separate residence for guests or staff. There’s a massive 8.3 acres of land with 512 feet of ocean frontage, and the property also includes a bay front parcel with a dock. The sellers were the heirs of late real estate investor Julia Vance Carter.

More Southampton Sales 
Michaela and Paulina Keszler of Douglas Elliman Real Estate have sold two historic homes in Southampton. Sunnymede, an original Gin Lane summer cottage built in 1887, sold after some time on the market. The house had recently undergone a multimillion renovation. Last ask was $17 million.

The house was actually lifted to pour a new 12-foot-high basement, and such swanky features as an elevator and a blue La Cornue range and matching hood were added. Well known architect John David Rose worked on the project. The original architect was Robert H. Robertson, who designed the house for his in-laws, the Markoes, one of the oldest and wealthiest families in Philadelphia.

The Keszlers also recently closed on 103 Great Plains Road in Southampton, where they represented the seller. Tim Davis of Corcoran represented the buyer; last ask was $17.45 million. The house was owned by Duke tobacco heiress Pandora Duke Biddle. 

Located on 3.4 acres, the property was landscaped by Olmstead. The house itself is a classic summer cottage, with eight bedrooms, all en-suite. Out back is a new gunite pool, pool house, detached three-car garage with a separate two-bedroom apartment, as well as a historic garage.

Macklowes Downsizing 
Art world power couple Lloyd and Barbara Macklowe are listing their 1.5-acre West End Avenue spread with a $60 million ask. Kyle Rosko and Marcy Braun of Douglas Elliman share the listing. The Macklowes are reportedly downsizing to a smaller property in the area.

With 170 feet of ocean frontage and views of Georgica Pond, the house spans about 6,100 square feet, with five bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms. There’s also a separate three-car garage. Unlike most other houses in the area, this one boasts an oceanside pool. Known as the Ellery S. James House, the Macklowe home was built in 1926 by architect Roger Bullard, who is also well known for having built the Maidstone Club.

A private duckwalk leads to pristine Georgica Beach, which lies between two jetties put there many years ago by Pan Am founder Juan Trippe. Trippe owned the nearby Henry A. James house — Henry being Ellery’s father. (The larger Henry A. James house is now best known as Calvin Klein’s longtime house, which he sold this summer for $85 million.)

Art Village Compound 
A lovely property in the sought-after Southampton Art Village has been listed for $9.995 million by Hedgerow Exclusive Properties and Steve Gold at Corcoran. With three separate entrances, the 2.88-acre property is unique in that it comprises a spacious main house plus three historic cottages and several additional outbuildings. There is a main house, three separate cottages, a garage, plus a separate ballroom. Yes, ballroom.

The main house, known as Stepping Stones, closely hews to the character of an unpretentious late-19th-century artistic home, as well as regional vernacular buildings. Outside are mature, lovely gardens, filled with beech, evergreens, crape myrtles, maple trees, hydrangeas, wisteria, lilacs, and roses, together with original brick stairs, stone walls, and a fountain.

The ballroom, built in 1901 by Grosvenor Atterbury, retains many of its original features, such as an elegant fireplace, large windows and a very high ceiling. Two other smaller cottages have been renovated: Tuck Cottage, with one bedroom and one bathroom, and Garden Cottage, with just a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

Laffalot is a two-story cottage built in 1891 by Katherine Budd, one of America’s first female architects. It too has been restored recently. It originally had been built across the street from this property. It sold for $600,000 in 2013; unfortunately, in 2016, the Southampton Landmarks & Historic District Board received a demolition application, which they could not forbid. Fortunately, the owner of this property arranged to have Laffalot moved to her own land and saved the house. We’re sure the original owner, a woman artist, who named the cottage, would approve.