'Ivycroft', the Eliot Cross estate originally built for Perry Tiffany by Gage & Wallace c. 1891 and enlarged by Cross (of Cross & Cross) in 1925 in Old Westbury. The estate is currently for sale for $7,888,000 with Daniel Gale Sotheby's. Click HERE to see the brochure from when 'Ivycroft' was for sale. Click HERE to see 'Ivycroft' on google earth and HERE on bing.
Listing photos from Daniel Gale Sotheby's.
20 comments:
From first hand experience, I am fully in sympathy with the desire to reduce a much loved, but overly large house to something more in keeping with current modes of living. I am not certain, however, that lopping off a large wing, replacing it with a short and stumpy sunroom like appendage and leaving its balancing wing untouched is the most succesful way to go about the proceess.
How many awful houses will be built to replace it, I wonder?
The losses are very unfortunate. In addition to the lost wing, perhaps the attic story is gone along with the garden portico. Was there a fire?
the single wing doesn't bother me, but the facade is unpleasant. There clearly was an attempt to give the place a late vogue Regency streamlining, but they failed. And those single pane plate glass windows, such a hit in late 19th century, so ugly in a house of traditional style. A couple of nice rooms, but this house continues to fail to arise passion in me.
If I were the realtor, I'd get an industrial cleaning service in before showing it realtors---and take down those Austrian Blinds.
i concur. i really like the aerial view with the - big house -little house repetition and that phenomenal columned portico.- makes you want to sit in a chair under the ivy and never get up. still not bad looking - just not such a powerful presence. as has been said here before - architects houses for themselves - they save the best stuff for their own homes.
i'm sure the new owner if he doesn't have a dozer will sandblast the brick - another mistake as i think the worn whitewash makes a rather attractive patina.
security word def - "skete" - what i would be shooting from the portico (along with trespassers) if it still existed but what i would be slapping since it doesn't
sorry - old-timer's disease.
i knew i'd forget to mention my fave in the place and that's that free standing circular stair - wowee!!
is that wallpaper or murals in that room?
DED - you forgot one other god-awful thing that has to go and thats those window high room spanning heaters. i know it's a big space but i'd rather freeze to death than look at those all day.
security word def -"atedibb" - what the Cockney architectural critic with a horrid cold said when asked what he thought of these interiors.
Along with an entire wing the third story & portico have been removed & the chimneys on the main body lowered. The ground floor servants’ rooms have been converted into a three-car garage & play room but, curiously (at least to me), the servants’ rooms directly above that have not been reconfigured.
It also appears that as the current owners were moving out they took the fireplace mantels from the living room, dining room, & master bedroom – it does not bode well for the future of this house. How many garish McMansions can be built on 16 acres in Old Westbury?
does anyone know who owns it now
Off topic, my apologies:
"security word def -"atedibb" - what the Cockney architectural critic with a horrid cold said when asked what he thought of these interiors."
I can't stop laffing.
DFP -
Probably 6 or so. Gotta have some room left over for a street and what not.
Wow, that is one depressing decline. While I didn't love the original house it was certainly interesting and far superior to whatever is next.
I wish these North shore villages would place moratoriums on new development..this paving of paradise has been going on for far too long.I seem to remember cetain areas in the Hamptons putting a freeze on new development, ten or so years ago.
I know y'all will hate me for this but it was never one of my favorites; this particular exercise was a set piece that simply did not age well; even under inspired stewardship, this is just one of those homes that couldn't stand the test of time. For me, Cross' embellishments were the embodiment of the phrase, "wretched excess".
When you add the repeatedly insensitive modifications, and the somewhat poor upkeep, even that fabulous floating staircase & the murals aren't enough to save this place.
It's a bit too pricey to be a teardown (although not beyond the realm of possibilities), but that might be better than subdividing it. For me, there's simply not enough in the fabric of the building to warranted the expensive salvage.
I do love the faded whitewash, though.
Security word - aincei: Lithuanian title of a popular tune, "...aincei sweit, juas a vakun dun da streit..."
As for that staircase, it could be better---it swirls up and abruptly joins a straight upper gallery. Better that the gallery continued the curve and then curved wider, as many of the best do.
ah well.
Say what you will... it was never a terribly attractive house, but I'll take this any day over the casino that replaced Dunbar Bostwick's house.
I don't know why you all feel it's such an unattractive house,from the early photos it looks quite nice, especially the porch with those vine-coverd columns....so sad to see the neglect,it seems as if an old family tried to hold on as long as possible.
LGB, you still make your old Auntie smile. I'll be singing 'aincei sweit' all day.
Aunt Mary; is that you?
La meme!
LGB, best verification word joke ever.
LGB - great security word def - you're in the running for next year's SECWORD Awards. You probably won't be there for the awards though as we are having the celebration at Ivycroft.
BTW - do you have a rock in your shoe? you seem to be in a bad mood. why don't you tell us what you really think of this place. or at least tell your auntie.
security word def - "versa" - new mini car made by GM just for English majors and poets. or the model made just for immigrant workers -the "visa -versa"
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