Look inside this $19 million mansion for sale in Newport, Rhode Island
If you have ever been to Newport, Rhode Island you’ve most likely seen or toured the Cliff Walk mansions, featuring Gilded Age estates owned by very recognizable family names — think Vanderbilt.
Though many of these homes are now museums, there are plenty of other estates close by that people still live in.
Take 254 Ocean Avenue, a 1936 mansion on Newport’s southernmost tip, which has 14 bedrooms, 14 full bathrooms, three half bathrooms, and 15,851 square feet of living space. All of that, plus amazing ocean views, nine acres of land, a carriage house, tennis courts, a private beach, and more, comes with a hefty $19 million price tag. You can also purchase a three-bedroom condo residence on the property for an additional $3,000,000.
“The elliptical shape [of the home] is really quite interesting,” Melanie Delman, president and broker of Lila Delman Real Estate International, told Boston.com. “It kind of curves along the coast and has an extremely dramatic ocean front location.”
See inside 254 Ocean Avenue:
Seafair, as the home is referred to, has been on the market since 2013, which Delman notes is not uncommon for a house of this stature.
It was built by James Mackenzie Jr., an architect that also worked on a improvement project of the Statue of Liberty in the 1940s, for a Denver mining heir named Verner Zevola Reed Jr. Reed became vice-president of Chase Manhattan Bank and the Ambassador to Morocco under President Ronald Reagan.
“For the right buyer that would be meaningful,” Delman said, regarding the architect’s connection to the Statue of Liberty.
The Providence Journal noted back in 2014 that the home currently belongs to former Nortek CEO Richard Bready. The Journal also mentioned that home was the site of a fundraiser for President Obama, which he was set to attend.
Since the home was built about 80 years ago it has undergone renovations inside and out, bringing in plenty of modern updates, such as a carriage house, chef’s kitchen, terraces, and a pool.
“It’s certainly iconic and it’s truly a statement ocean front house,” Delman added. “It’s a unique situation with the gated entry and long driveway — the approach to the drama.”
Update: Jay Leno and his wife, Mavis, purchased the home for $13.5 million.
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