Long Island: Exclusive Properties

 

Photo #1: Big E Farm, at 6133 Sound Avenue in Jamesport, started as a thoroughbred horse farm and has evolved into a 20S-acre complex with 17 outbuildings. Photo: The Corcoran Group

Photo #2: Known as The Osprey Beach House, this modernist house at 1503 Peconic Bay Boulevard in laurel was built in 1938 and gut renovated last year. Photo: The Corcoran Group

 

Long Island's Gold Coast on the North Shore has long been a refuge for well-heeled Manhattanites just a half hour east of the city. Located behind an electronic gate opening to approximately five lushly landscaped acres, 43 Chestnut Hill Drive in Upper Brookville is an extremely private brick mansion that abuts a 400-acre arboretum and Oyster Bay's Mill River Club. Remarkably, the 14,000-square-foot home is all one level, with ceilings from 14 to 22 feet, plus a 10,000-square-foot walk-out entertainment level below.

The 1994 property truly has everything: seven bedrooms with nine bathrooms, gourmet kitchen, five fireplaces, elevator, sauna, bowling alley, gym and home theater, four bluestone patios on two levels, an in-ground pool with pavilion and, hidden in the trees, a HarTru tennis court. The focal point, however, is the indoor pool, which brings a wat.er view to the living room.

With an asking price of $8.8 million, the luxury property should sell quickly, especially when compared to the eight-digit selling prices in the Hamptons, suggested Maria Babaev, associate broker with Douglas Elliman Real Estate. "The house is really its own private country club, with indoor and outdoor pool and sauna, movie theater and bowling alley, and tremendous entertaining spaces, both formal and less formal," she said. "The entire infrastructure of Upper Brookville, with easy proximity to the city, top ranked schools, not to mention top dining and shopping, has everything that a family could want, and all less than 30 miles outside of New York City. That is about a third of the distance from the Hamptons, where a home like this would go for twice this amount, even if you could find something on five perfect acres."

On the south shore, 76 South Country Road, in Bellport Village South, is a more traditional Greek Revival situated on 1.54 acres of professionally landscaped grounds. The 14-room estate includes more than 7,000 square feet, comprising five bedrooms with seven working marble fireplaces, two wrap-around porches, and two living room parlors that lead to a light-filled sun room and spacious brick patio. There is also a gunite lap pool and a pool house that once served as a small post office before it was transported to the property.

The 1834 home, listing for $3,995,000, was once the home of Sarah Birdsall Otis Edey, author and women's suffrage pioneer. "The current owners spent consider-able time and money renovating it with the most meticulous period details," said Courtney Gibson, sales agent with Stribling & Associates. "They wanted it to be authentic and historically correct, with the best of every modern convenience, and they managed to achieve it at a very reasonable price."

Beyond Riverhead, the North Fork is the perfect counterbalance to the high-flying Hamptons to the south. Big E Farm, at 6133 Sound Avenue in Jamesport, started as a thoroughbred horse farm and has evolved into a 205-acre complex with 17 outbuildings, including barns, stables, cottages and galleries, with the main event, a 113-acre award-winning vineyard. The _manor house features a professional chef's kitchen, commercial baking room, clubroom, five bedrooms, four fireplaces, porte-cochere, elevator and a full basement with therapy/fitness pool, sauna, spa room, exercise room and wine cellar.

The entire property, including the 1994 main house, is listing for $25 million. "The North Fork is no longer an alternative; it has become its own destination that has only recently come into its own," said Sheri Winter Clarry, associate broker with The Corcoran Group. "It is now a foodie experience, and our wines are winning some great awards because of the landscape and sandy soil. The South Fork is always fun, of course, but very different. Here, the vista views of the vineyards and horse farm are bucolic and peaceful. All the animals, including some thoroughbred horses, are included."

Clarry is also representing a 3,900-square-foot modernist house on the North Fork, this one built in 1938 at 1503 Peconic Bay Boulevard in Laurel. Chic and sleek, the home was gut renovated last year, and sits on 3.5 acres above Peconic Bay. The total package includes an organic garden, barn and pool permit, and is the only house on its street with deeded beach rights.

Known as The Osprey Beach House, the $1.95 million home includes a wood-burning fireplace, wide-open kitchen/living room/dining area, a den and sweeping water views. "On the South Fork, this house would go for double or triple the price," said Clarry. "And there is plenty of room for a pool and a tennis court."

Also on the North Fork, 2055 Anchor Lane in Southold is a four-bedroom Cape in the private resident's only beach community of Harbor Lights. The home comes with an in-ground saltwater pool, new deck with a new terrace and a first-floor master bedroom with fireplace.

The home is on the market for $695,000. "Close to the wineries and farm stands the area is known for, it would be an excellent investment either for someone who wants a vacation house, with a pool and the beach right there, or for someone who wanted to rent it out in the summer," said Stanley Karanewski, associate broker with Brown Harris Stevens. "It is a very private setting, with trees all around, about 300 feet to the beach, and rents could go for $20,000 to $30,000 a month for the summer through October. The area is rural and beautiful with the wineries and farms, and, in the last 10 years, all the new restaurants, but without the traffic of the South Fork. It is just more laid back here, and that is exactly what some people are looking for."