'
Yeadon', the
George Bullock estate designed by
Robert W. Gibson c. 1914 on
Centre Island. Bullock built '
Yeadon' after he sold his previous residence, '
The Folly', also located on Centre Island. The home was demolished c. 1990 but click
HERE to see where 'Yeadon' stood on google earth. Photo from
Country Homes Constructed by the Elliot C. Brown Company, New York, 1927.
8 comments:
The house which replaced it has a very similar layout on look. I wonder if anything from the old house was used? It was or still is the home of Billy Joel and has been on and off the market for a few years. http://www.luxist.com/2006/09/27/centre-island-home-estate-of-the-day/
It sure seems like the foundation was reused. Definitely not a coincidence that the stair tower is in the same place with the same look.
If that is a photo of the home and garden in 1927 in it's apparent prime it unfortunately already looked neglected and shabby with engulfing vines and a general unkempt look to the garden
In this case the new home built on the spot is a very good replacement. Has a great presence on the harbor in Oyster Bay. The inspiration and detailing definitely came from the former house. The water cascade is also an unexpected feature.
The garden does not look unkempt and I've always wondered why architects so bristle at any ivy on the facades of estates.
While this is excessive in the modern view it was very much in vogue of the era. Frankly with that much filtering of the air by the plants the occupants were enjoying more fresh air than the sealed tomb-like structures of 2012.
A compromise balance between stark exteriors and climbing ivy should be found with any proper stone or brick estate worth its salt in my view.
Was there a solid reason for this home being demolished?
Ivy pruned and allowed to grow selectively can be lovely. this is not selectively pruned, merely out of control. I don't see the gardens as neglected here at all. Years ago a friend who had been married to Bullock's nephew showed me some wonderful pictures of this place taken on a visit in the early 30's, I think.---the cascade was lovely
The new owners wanted a modern house with state of the art facilities. They installed an indoor pool with a retractable cover for a dance floor. The current owners supposedly removed that. The new house is much less ideosynchratic than the old and inside feels like a new house. In Yeadon you felt like you were in an English country house, now it's more high end McMansion. See Oliver Cope's portfolio for some further views. There is now a helipad dab smack in the middle of the lawn right by the beach at Moses Point.
Your information is incorrect.
The indoor pool is still there. It is covered so that the room can be used as a piano studio.
The house is quite charming and still very idiosyncratic - not at all like a 'McMansion'. The helipad is not "dab smack in the middle of the lawn". It is located at the far southeast point of the property, near the beach on what is called Moses Point. The current owners did not want "a modern house with state of the art facilities".They wanted an historic Gold Coast estate house that could be made functional for a modern family. After almost 20 years and millions of dollars spent on repairs and renovation, the house is undergoing construction again to create bedroom, bathroom and playroom space for young children. Mr. Joel has been extremely meticulous about retaining the character and the craftsmanship of the original structure. He has always had a keen interest in preserving the historic nature Nassau County's north shore - ever since he was a young boy, growing up in the potato farm country of Hicksville - just south of Long Island's Gold Coast.
Post a Comment