Wednesday, March 16, 2011

William W. Cocks Estate

The William W. Cocks estate, originally a Quaker farmhouse built c. 1805 in Old Westbury. The house and 4 acres is for sale for $3,600,000, click HERE to see the listing on Daniel Gale Sotheby's. Click HERE to see the Cocks estate on google earth and HERE on bing.


Listing photos from Daniel Gale Sotheby's.

18 comments:

Doug Floor Plan said...

It’s interesting how when you walk in the front door there is no direct access to the first room on the right, which I believe is the library.

I like a house where they aren’t afraid to put color on a wall; but I’ve never understood putting chandeliers in a kitchen.

That’s an interesting group of farm buildings directly behind this house; it almost looks as if each one has been converted into a private residence.

The Devoted Classicist said...

DFP, it looks to me like the yellow Living Room is on the left of the entrance and the green dining room is on the right with the Library beyond (in the one story wing).

Doug Floor Plan said...

Classicist, this is why I always wish we had floor plans -- I always want to know how the rooms lay out. I agree the living room takes up the entire ground floor on the left (& overlooks the swimming pool) & the dining room is the first opening on the right (just before the stairs); but I still think the library is at the front of the house (to the right of the front door) & the kitchen is in the small wing. From what I can tell this would line up the fireplaces with the chimneys & the French doors in the kitchen line up with the Bing view of the back of the house. Maybe someone can buy the house & tell us (smiley face).

But I'm curious to know Classicist, what do you think of the color selections in this house & chandeliers in a kitchen in general?

Turner Pack Rats said...

wowee zowee - what a fine farm group. must have been quite a farm before they built the excresence next door.
and they sure didn't stint on room sizes - for no bigger than the house is, the rooms are generous and what beautiful fireplaces. the porches are a little too tara-rized but always a good way to say "i've got it - you don't"
two questions - is the place next to it on OW rd. a house or more auxiliary buildings?
2. is the place with the orange roof and the pretty good landscaping an original or a replacement. i ask because its so rare to see good landscaping around the mcmansions as by the time they put in the house, the pool and the tenny court and pay the taxes, there's naught left for posies.

security word def - "berkied" - def 1. an alumni of a popular CA. college 2. referring to a person of the 60's defined by their footwear

The Devoted Classicist said...

DFP, I cannot see the Bing site plan, but I was guessing there was a flat roof addition at the back of the Dining Room that held that Library. I abhor recessed downlights in traditional residences and often have hanging decorative lights in a Kitchen and I would not necessarily rule out crystal, even though I do not think any of the ones shown here are the best choices. (To be fair, it is hard to judge a house for sale as the good light fixtures are often removed prior to listing to avoid later attempts at negotiation). Often working in collaboration with an interior designer, the interior paint colors are not always in my scope of work, but I consider it among my talents; I would not have chosen any of these colors which I consider particularly unsympathetic to the house. You will be seeing floor plans, if they are available, less and less, for security reasons, especially if the house for sale is still occupied.

Anonymous said...

It seems that maybe that farm group was once part of the Cocks estate. The Phipps stables were north of the main house more towards the Post Ave. side.

I wonder what they are used for now....looks like alot of activity going on.

lil' gay boy said...

I love driving by this house; to me it has always been the epitome of old money ––– grand & comfortable, without a shred of ostentation or pretension. It's always been my understanding that the equestrian buildings out back were at one point a private riding academy.

Examining the house from all angles on Bing, it appears that the program is living room on the left, center hall, dining room off the hall at the back of the house on the right.

The dining room appears to have two openings to the kitchen on its south wall (on either side of the fireplace) & one opening to the library in its west wall at the front of the house. The kitchen would be in the "ell" the extension to the south (you can see the doors in the breakfast area open to a terrace out back).

I'm not sure what's in the flat roofed addition to the east, which would be at the end of the hall beyond the stairs. There also appears to be a recent addition (it's not in every angle) to the east wall of the kitchen ––– possibly a screened porch; in encloses the aforementioned terrace.

Security word - pusene: an upcoming geological era when domestic felines shall rule the earth.

Anonymous said...

I agree LGB, I always get a warm feeling when I pass this house on my way to the Gardens.

Do you know if the complex behind is still a private riding academy?

The Devoted Classicist said...

Doug and Lil', I would like to revise my comment to say that the Library is probably in the front of the house with the Dining Room beyond. From the Library, the short end of the dining table can be seen and I think that forward chimney on the right in the front view of the house serves the Library. In the Dining Room, I think both arched openings flanking the fireplace open into the Kitchen-Breakfast Room, unfortunately. Is there an opening from the Entrance Hall to the Library? Perhaps the realtor's shot is reversed; some large Living Rooms do have two doorways from the hall, but it is not necessary. Sorry not to be of more help, but I am blaming it on my iPhone. DFP, drop an e-mail to me as per my blog profile and I will send you a shot of a chandelier over a kitchen island I thought was successful.

wooded bliss said...

Looking, looking, looking..oh I remember this house..owned by lawyer to the Rolling Stones, in their heydey..Levine, if memory serves..daughter Anne was quite the equestrian.

HalfPuddingHalfSauce said...

The property once stretched from the turnpike north to "Orchard Hill". You can see numerous outbuildings from the era still standing along OWRoad south of the main house. Check the HistoricAerials link at wikimapia - you can still make out a race/practice course for the horses.

wooded bliss said...

My memory plays tricks on me..it also just hit me..it wasn't the Stones..it was Led Zeppelin.

HalfPuddingHalfSauce said...

From the MyNas info it appears the farm group with the wonderful water tower is attached to the newer red-roofed structure to its north.

Anonymous said...

I may be wrong... but if I remember correctly, this house had chippendale railings running along the top of the porches. Does anyone else remember this?

Anonymous said...

This was the home of George Morton Levy of Roosevelt Raceway.

HalfPuddingHalfSauce said...

Sports Illustrated story on Levy and his estate.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1076172/index.htm

Anonymous said...

HPHS...and again I will say...your the greatest!! Where do you find this stuff?

I have very fond memories of Roosevelt Raceway when I was younger. Our Father took us there all the time. We, as a family were heart-broken when it closed. It's so depressing to drive through there now on our way to the Westbury Gardens.

HalfPuddingHalfSauce said...

I can't claim any special gift - just a keen interest in the area inspired by M. Randall. I can only Google - you can tell the stories that make this site so .....