Charming Connecticut Island for Sale

January 21, 2015 Jessica Gordon Ryan

Built in 1912, this charming 3,871 sq. ft. Nantucket style cottage on Potato island off the coast of Guilford is for sale. The spectacular 4 bedroom 3.5 Bath residence is located on its own private island. Renovated to perfection the house boasts a wrap around porch, with 360 degrees of breathtaking views, park like grounds with heated pool and a deep water dock. Located just 85 miles outside of New York City, this spectacular vacation residence is the perfect antidote to civilization. Manhattan is just an hour and 40 minutes, and Boston in 2 hours 30 minutes by car. The local airport is just 15 minutes away.

This enchanted private island oasis designed to maximize the most sought after views of coastal New England while respecting the traditions and spirit of this archipelago just off the mainland of the famed village of Stony Creek in Branford CT.

Described as palatial when originally built in 1912, this now captivating home was completely renovated to preserve the original character while providing every modern convenience. The experience begins in the quaint village of Stony Creek. Potato Island is one of 23 inhabitable islands that many say resemble the coast of Maine.

The majestic home sits on just over an acre of property that contains perfect park-like-lawns and a spectacular heated pool. The pool was designed to offer a level of privacy while maximizing the surrounding water and island views.

Inside the home, the attention to detail is immediately noted with a large fieldstone fireplace to the right that anchors the large living chic yet casual dining. The home's original character has been preserved with hardwood floors and bead board which perfectly complement the more modern design elements. From the dining room one can bask in the late afternoon sun and then enjoy the most magnificent of sunsets. The kitchen boasts state of the art appliances and a breakfast bar.

The bedrooms and bathrooms are upstairs on the second level, with an impressive master suite with vaulted ceilings and breathtaking views. The other bedrooms are equally as enchanting.

So, if you have a cool $7.5 mil (or $29K per month) kicking around, you should take a look at the listing here.

"And so it Goes," the Southport, Connecticut home featured in the Diane Keaton and Michael Douglas movie is for sale

December 9, 2014 Jessica Gordon Ryan

475 Harbor Road, Fairfield Connecticut"And so it Goes" home starring Diane Keaton and Michael Douglas for sale. — 475 Harbor Road, Fairfield Connecticut
"And so it Goes" home starring Diane Keaton and Michael Douglas for sale.

Last week I shared with you that Paul Newman's former Westport, Connecticut home is for sale for a cool seven and a half million dollars. That seems to be a pretty popular price around here. Neighboring Westport is the small idylic coastal village of Southport which is part of the town of Fairfield. I adore this little village that I happen to call my home.

This week I am sharing with you the Southport, Connecticut home featured in And so it Goes, featuring Diane Keaton and Michael Douglas is on the market for roughly the same price. (Click here for trailer.)

Settled in 1639, Southport center has been designated a local historic district since 1967, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 as the Southport Historic District. In the eighteenth century, Mill River Village which was a part of the Town of Fairfield, was a small hamlet of just a few houses and a wharf at the mouth of Fairfield's Mill River. Farm products from the surrounding area were shipped from Mill River's small harbor to ports in New York and beyond. By 1831 the village had changed its name to Southport and became a bustling commercial area with warehouses, churches, schools, stores and elegant homes.

Southport had become a leading coastal port on the Long Island Sound, with ships carrying produce and goods back and forth to New York City. A key component to the village's success was the fact that that during the 1800s it had the only two banks that served the the town. Soon the railroad would would compete with the shipping industry. Resourceful shippers found themselves working with with local farmers and businessmen to keep the port going. The Southport onion, a high quality onion, was developed and grown on Fairfield's hills and shipped out via the harbor which kept it profitable until the end of the century. In the 1890s, 100,000 barrels of locally grown onions, carrots, potatoes, and other goods were shipped annually from Southport harbor.

Today, much of the old village area is part of a town historic district, where buildings from three centuries are protected for future generations. Strict historic zoning regulations apply in the district and have been upheld by the Connecticut Supreme Court.The Southport Historic District is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The New York Times wrote about Southport a few years back. "If a row of tall white columns across the front of a building is a measure of its exclusivity, as the facade of the White House might suggest, Southport is a pretty rarefied place. Buildings with grooved pillars and curlicue capitals line thoroughfares like Westway and Old South Roads in Southport, a waterfront enclave of Fairfield, Conn. The buildings are often framed by bluestone sidewalks and fenced with fishbone-thin pickets. A five-column Greek Revival, so-called for its resemblance to the Parthenon, puffs out its chest next door to the neighborhood’s library. And Southport’s flyspeck of a downtown has another one, in red brick. That distinguished look comes at a cost. First-timers may have a hard time buying in Southport, as there is little available for under $500,000, and many houses with views of the sailboat-lined harbor can top $5 million."

Our village, a beautiful sleepy New York bedroom community now boasts lovely shops and antique stores, restaurants and a boutique hotel. For those who love to walk, run or bike, we have some of the most scenic routes on the coast. The Pequot Yacht Club is a private club for serious sailors. Two movies have been filmed here, Revolutionary Road, starring Leonardo diCaprio and Kate Winslet and And so it Goes.

Interested in this fabulous property in this treasure of a town? This luxurious home of modern construction is located at 457 Harbor Road, Fairfield, in Historic Southport Village. Spectacular, elevated views of the harbor can be seen from much of the home. Directly across the harbor lie The Country Club of Fairfield and Long Island Sound.

Traditional New England architecture mixes with an open floor plan to bring dramatic light and scenery to every room of the house, including a gourmet kitchen, family room, master suite with his/her baths, private and office & fitness room. The home is wrapped in elegant terraces and includes a deep water dock with boat house & garden with koi pond/waterfall. A heated driveway is a welcome modern amenity as are the 2 laundry rooms and custom floating staircase. The property is listed by William Raveis Exceptional Properties.

Paul Newman's historic Westport, Connecticut home is for sale

December 1, 2014 Jessica Gordon Ryan

Close your eyes and you can imagine the love and the laughter shared between the late actor, his wife and his daughters in this magnificent home. Keep them closed and you can imagine the antics that might have been had when Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid got together here. Newman was more than the celebrated actor we know him for. His philanthropy and entrepreneurial successes included the well known Newman's Own food line and The Hole in the Wall Gang, a camp for children with serious illnesses. Newman appreciated good food and opened a wonderful and innovative restaurant in his home town aptly called The Dressing Room. It was one of the first Farm to Table establishments which paved the way for many more that would come in the years to follow. Sadly the restaurant closed after his passing, leaving a gaping hole in the restaurant community.

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward lived in a charming colonial home on a pristine 10.46-acre estate located at 277 and 275 North Avenue in the Coleytown section of town, an area particularly rich in history. Long before the Newmans moved in, the Coley family owned the property for close to 200 years. The property in Coley Village was originally part of Fairfield, before it became Coley Town and eventually the Coleytown part of Westport, as it is known today. The old Coley Village had a mill, shoemaker, blacksmith, yarn manufacturer, stables, small village green and one-room school house. Those have all since been torn down to make room for the modern, home that would belong to many formidable people - farmers, artists and, of course, the late actor and his wife. Unconfirmed rumors suggest the main house was a stop along the Underground Railroad.

The property boasts five buildings -- the main house, the former grist mill which then became a cotton mill, and a carriage house, as well as two barns. One of the barns is 200 years old; the other was converted into studio space with a bedroom and bathroom as well as an approved 2-acre building lot for a five-bedroom house and pool with its own driveway. The 1,600-square-foot carriage house was built circa 1900 and has three bedrooms and two baths. The second house which is the former mill, dates back to 1790 and sits along Coleytown Road. It has 2,100 square feet of living space and two fireplaces, one with a bread oven. The main house and the mill maintain their central fireplaces. Both houses are within walking distance of the Newman-Poses Nature Preserve. (All pictured below.)

The earliest portion of the main residence, known as The Ebenezer Coley House is a well preserved Colonial saltbox, that was built in 1763. The newer addition was designed by Kirby Grimes a revered architect based out of Bridgehampton, New York. He added square footage while keeping with the style and era of the main part of the home. A transitional space links the old house to new addition and boasts seven sets of French doors to the rear patio and the wisteria-entwined pergola, bringing the house's total square footage to over 6,400.

The formidable home has several other names. The Kerr Eby House was named after the noted artist and anti-war activist, who lived there and named it "Driftway." He made quite a few sketches and etchings of the home in a period of time between the two World Wars, and you can find them for sale still today. Westport used to be known for its artists' colony and quite a few notable artists and sculptors owned portions of the property.

Stroll along the property's well manicured lawns, formal and informal gardens where you will find a heated Gunite swimming pool, vintage stone walls and mature trees. You can practically envision all the people who've passed through, in carriages, on horse, by foot where those in past and present find themselves by the Aspetuck River which winds its way through the property. A footbridge crosses the river by a waterfall, and a sunroom in the second house provides a picture-perfect river view.

The asking price is $7,499,000

Image of Newman home for sale via Westport News — Image of Newman home for sale via Westport News

(Inside the 203) Charming Connecticut