Hamptons Bays Watch
They grow in numbers and invade areas where they were never seen before. It seems there is no place they can’t reach. No, we’re not talking about the proliferation of deer in the Hamptons. At least we can put up deer fences to discourage them. We mean the rich, the profit-loaded, prodigal rich. First they merely radiated out from the established estate areas, next they diverged and enlarged. Now the spread of money and the sprawl of affluence is a threat to every acre in every neighborhood not strongly defended.
Architecture: The mostly pleasing massing of varied and different shapes—octagon, squares, rectangles, triangles—adds up to a semi-coherent whole. This grazing in the architectural vocabulary can be a dangerous game, and here it was played with some skill and finesse.
Site: We found the utilization of this 1.6 acre waterfront lot quite impressive, especially the views of Shinnecock Bay from the house, from the kidney-shaped pool, and the lovely setting of a viewing deck perched on the bluff.
The inside word: We don’t usually associate this sort of estate, or the $4.9 million price tag with Hampton Bays, but there is only so much prime property in East Hampton and Southampton, and this could very well signal a trend in the market for luxury waterfront properties in new and interesting areas.
Never Boxed In
We are always happy to see good modernism—architectural thinking outside of the shingled box. And the kind we like best is rich, complex and evocative. We recently came across this very ambitious house in North Haven and decided it was worth reviewing.
Architecture: A cerebral and challenging design by noted New York architect, Lee Skolnick. The shapes are dynamic, the materials unanticipated. It’s a rich, restless composition intended for a sophisticated eye.
Site: Four acres including 275 feet on Shelter Island Sound, with views of the sailboat races. It’s a prime location in an established area.
The inside word: Clearly not for conventional tastes, this property offers a recondite and fastidious beauty that will certainly be appreciated by an enlightened buyer with $4,450,000 to spend.
Nothing Like a Dame
The highway department crews are busy again painting lines and arrows and swoops and dashes along our roads—yet another layer of those hieroglyphics that only traffic engineers could conceive of and actually execute. The purpose might be to keep us from straying where we don’t belong, to keep us on the straight and narrow. But it really makes us long for a quiet retreat at the end of a long country road untouched by paint and signs.
Architecture: A pleasant façade, with a few kitschy post-modern elements aiming to be a touch grand. On the whole, it’s nice everyday architecture, the kind that is comfortable to live with and doesn’t make waves.
Site: A half-acre on a newish, quiet cul-de-sac street in Sag Harbor Village.
The inside word: The house has a dramatic name: “La Grande Dame,” indicating that the owner took the post-modern sensibility considerably more seriously than the home’s everyday qualities. That same thinking apparently guided the choice of the price of $2.5 million. It’s highly optimistic, but isn’t that what Hamptons real estate is all about?
New Scene on Cedar
Had enough of the stock market blues? Need the kind of gratification we were all getting used to a few years ago? Here is a big, brand new estate ready to go. All you have to do is get over this nagging feeling that you’re not as rich as you used to be—and few of are—and reach for the checkbook.
Architecture: A good use of familiar shingle-style elements in a big, comfortable house that is better than standard edition luxury. The balance between symmetrical and asymmetrical elements is well handled.
Site: Off Cedar Street, in East Hampton, an area more accustomed to charm than size—small village homes are the norm. On 1.2 acres set back from the road, looking handsome on a large green lawn.
The inside word: The quality is better than you generally see, and the house is rich in amenities. If the location puzzles you now (as it does me) it probably won’t by next year. Offered at $2,150,000.