Sunday, May 16, 2010

'Film-Shoot Homes Generate Buzz and Buyers'

From this weekend's New York Times Real Estate section, an article on a couple of Long Island's film friendly residences. Above and below is Debbie Regan's 1907 Old Westbury colonial on Wheatley Road, featured prominently in the article. It was most recently used for the filming of 'The Oranges' starring Hugh Laurie. Ever since I was a little kid I remember this house being used for tv shows and movies. Frank W. Woolworth's 'Winfield Hall' by C.P.H. Gilbert in Glen Cove is currently being used for the filming of 'Mildred Pierce', an HBO miniseries with Kate Winslet that will premiere next February.


11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Zach & HPHS -
There is a substantial 5-part red brick Georgian at the far north end of Applegreen that is shown on wikimapia only as LIGC. I had assummed it was the Barklie Henry (Barbara Whitney) house but SPLIA shows that as demolished and in the 1966 aerials it looks as if that was slightly west of this house. It must be another Whitney house but I am at a loss. Any guess as to the origins of this house?

Doug

Anonymous said...

I've never been able to pinpoint for sure. Henry estate was here -http://wikimapia.org/#lat=40.7985927&lon=-73.6070654&z=18&l=0&m=b

I added the mynassau link for photos for the unknown - http://wikimapia.org/#lat=40.7985947&lon=-73.607052&z=18&l=0&m=b&show=/9761174/Unknown-LIGC

Someone had commented it was a Cross & Cross design but I could never confirm that. Certainly Whitney family commission .

Zach L. said...

W.C. Whitney's personal secretary had a house on the estate, the location of which I have never been able to pin down. His name escapes me at the moment.

Turner Pack Rats said...

that brick place is pretty gosh darn spectacular esp the conservatory on the second floor. i like the two chimneys on the end walls but it sure does ramble on.

security word def -"droli" - an ogre with a dry sense of humor

Anonymous said...

HPHS -
Cross & Cross is an interesting idea. Delano & Aldrich seems to have done most everything for the Whitneys for a while except for the Henry house done by brother-in-law George M. Miller. The red brick house has a lot of similarities to the Henry house too (1931). Maybe 1930's or even 40's.

TPR - This house is currently much larger than it used to be, judging by the 1966 shot too. New wing with a squash court or a pool perhaps?

Zach - Pretty nice for a personal Secretary, but maybe. Perhaps an older child in the next generation.

Doug

Zach L. said...

His secretary was named T.J. Regan and the location of his house can be found on the 1914 E. Belcher Hyde map (oddly enough, it was very close to this house pictured):

http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/2568/Westbury++Jericho++Hicksville++Locust+Grove/Nassau+County+1914+Long+Island/New+York/

Anonymous said...

The house belonged to Flora Whitney Miller.
J.


On a Slice of the Whitney Estate, a New Subdivision
By DIANA SHAMAN
Published: October 27, 1996



OLD WESTBURY— ALMOST a century after William C. Whitney bought 630 acres here for a country estate, the once-huge holding that lay south of Northern Boulevard and east of Glen Cove Road has dwindled to 10.5 acres. All but one of its many houses and outbuildings have been sold off.

Whitney, who died in 1904, purchased the land in 1898. A lawyer and a businessman, and Secretary of the Navy under Grover Cleveland, he made his fortune in part by revamping New York City's transportation system.

The most recent sale by Whitney heirs was a 90-acre tract with subdivision approvals for 21 houses, which was purchased by Stewart S. Senter, a Hempstead developer, for $10 million four months ago.

Mr. Senter, who is offering buyers the option to purchase either a lot or a completed house with lot, said he had received seven signed contracts since beginning sales Aug. 12. He has named the new subdivision Round Hill at Old Westbury because of its rolling terrain.

One of the 21 parcels contains a 15,000-square-foot Georgian-style mansion built in 1926 and occupied from 1942 until her death in 1986 by Flora Whitney Miller, William C. Whitney's granddaughter. It is for sale for $2.25 million.

Anonymous said...

J -
Thanks for this good info.! However, it raises more questions -if the house was built in 1926 and she didn't occupy it until 1942 - who was there before her? And who was the architect? Possibly it was built for C.V. Whitney and his first wife while G.V.W. still occupied the Manse. In 1941-42 the Manse was demolished and replaced for C.V.W. and Flora moved into this house. Ok - then what happened to the French house between 1942 and NYTI?

Sorry - more questions than answers.
Doug

Anonymous said...

Here's the whole article -

http://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/27/realestate/on-a-slice-of-the-whitney-estate-a-new-subdivision.html?scp=33&sq=&pagewanted=all

"a 30-room residence patterned after a French chateau and originally built in 1924 for Flora and her family."

She didn't like the Delano & Aldrich design that was done for her? "French House" now gone. You can still see this property at Google Earth date April 29 2000. Next time around April 29 2004 - gone.

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=40.8031753&lon=-73.5958993&z=18&l=0&m=b&show=/4393326/French-House

In this article they talk about Mick Jagger shopping the place. Article goes on to say designed by Stewart, Walker and Gillette. Stewart???? And now reading this again it says built for mother Gertrude in 1925. She died in 1942. how does that jive? Did she move in with mother or did mother move somewhere else?

http://books.google.com/books?id=deQCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA11&lpg=PA11&dq=flora+whitney+old+westbury&source=bl&ots=9mZHQ_gP8I&sig=ZOXyr9eLSBO5g3B1ap9-fvPUufE&hl=en&ei=I8PxS9OcJIeINe2D0N8P&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=14&ved=0CEAQ6AEwDQ#v=onepage&q=flora%20whitney%20old%20westbury&f=false

Anonymous said...

http://www.splia.org/newsletter/fall1999/endangered.htm
Endangered list didn't help "French House".

Zach L. said...

H.P. and G.V.W. gave The Manse to C.V.W. when he was married (I don't know which marriage). They moved into a smaller Walker & Gillette designed house (not that brick one people are curious about). I have a picture of that one that I will post soon.