Monday, November 19, 2012

'Fort Hill'

 'Fort Hill', originally built for Anne Coleman Alden by McKim, Mead & Bigelow c. 1878 and extensively altered for subsequent owner William John Matheson by Boring & Tilton c. 1900 in Lloyd Neck.  Click HERE for more on 'Fort Hill'.  The ten acre estate is currently for sale for $11,700,000, click HERE to see the listing via Daniel Gale Sotheby's.  For the last twenty years SPLIA has held preservation covenants over the property.  Click HERE to see 'Fort Hill' on google earth and HERE on bing.



MLS listing photos via Daniel Gale Soteby's.

9 comments:

The Ancient said...

I wish someone would snap it up and have Robert Kime re-do the interiors.

It's a *much* nicer house than one would expect from the pictures.

The Down East Dilettante said...

What a nice fantasy, Mr. Ancient. There are mid-century views of the interiors on the HABS website--quite interesting, nice and dumpy (in the good, old WASP sense)

I've always rather liked the joint---but am sorry not to be able to see the very powerful original version by MMW

The Ancient said...

http://www.booktown.com/Batch95/DSC08625.JPG

http://www.booktown.com/Batch95/DSC08627.JPG

http://www.booktown.com/stcroixprints/plan.php?id=7369

The Ancient said...

http://www.oprhp.state.ny.us/hpimaging/hp_view.asp?GroupView=8866

The Ancient said...

Young Dilettante --

Are those the same DR chairs in realtor's pictures as we see in the old SPLIA shots?

The Down East Dilettante said...

Ancient, it is very hard to say definitively, as reproduction Chippendale 'ribband back' chairs are pretty ubiquitous, and the listing photo of the DR is so low resolution, but in general outline, they do indeed appear to be the same set--and the same pedestal table, with rounded off square ends.

The link to the HABS photos:

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=Photograph:%20ny1138&fi=number&op=PHRASE&va=exact&co%20=hh&st=gallery&sg%20=%20true

Kellsboro Jack said...

Zach, do the SPLIA preservation covenants convey with this property or would they cease upon sale?

Wasn't this the property that is often cited as having singer Billy Joel a guest house tenant?

The Down East Dilettante said...

Okay, I admit to being fascinated by this place--and its layers of design history. One notices, under all the current Diamond Jim Brady decor, in rooms from different eras--the Georgian dining room, the living hall that is clearly surviving from MM&W, the grand tudor room added by Boring & Tilton, that some items survive from previous owners and decorative incarnations. In addition to the dining room chairs mentioned earlier by Ancient, that the Dining Room rug also is the same as in the earlier pictures. And It would appear that the lamps in this view of the living room, http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/ny/ny1100/ny1138/photos/123658pv.jpg

also survive in the house

http://links.mlslirealtor.com/mlsphotos/full/7/831/2510831_7.jpg

And further examination in the hall and stairs reveal the Chinese stand with bronze pot at the foot of the stairs http://links.mlslirealtor.com/mlsphotos/full/6/831/2510831_6.jpg and http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/ny/ny1100/ny1138/photos/123656pv.jpg . In the modern photo of the urn and stairs, you will also notice the portrait formerly over the dining room fireplace http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/ny1138.photos.123659p/resource/

Anonymous said...

http://www.keyshistory.org/Matheson-1.html

Life and Times of
William John Matheson