Iconic Fairholme
237 Ruggles Avenue
Newport, RI 02840

$16,900,000

Listing Agent: Melanie Delman
Lila Delman
401-284-4820
[email protected]
http://www.liladelman.com

Property Description

Fairholme is a dazzling historic oceanfront estate superbly sited on 4.3 acres of Newport’s legendary Gilded Age coastline with 425’ of ocean frontage. From the grand Horace Trumbauer designed ballroom to the classically detailed living areas and ample staff spaces, this meticulously maintained and fully-updated manor house reflects a bygone era of luxury and refinement. The 1875 Tudor revival masterpiece lies at the heart of an impressive compound that also contains a picturesque carriage house, greenhouses, and an exquisitely tiled swimming pool, complete with a luxurious cabana pavilion overlooking the Atlantic.

The Manor House

Graceful gates and a park-like setting introduce the impressive facade of the 20,000+ square foot main house which, with its elaborate half-timbering, richly textured surfaces and gothic tripartite entrance porch, gives few hints as to the bright relaxed elegance of the interior. Silk covered walls, delicately molded plasterwork and an immense limestone fireplace blend together in the entrance hall in soft harmonies of color and light. Directly opposite the front door, extending along the south-facing rear of the house, brilliant flashes of sun, sky and sea pour in through leaded glass windows and doors. That great hall space is the organizing principal of the house, immediately establishing the main axis lines and underscoring the immense clarity of the floor plan. On the west side of the hall is the grand salon, with its immense floor to ceiling windows and show-stopping fireplace,  as well as a receiving room with marble fireplace, and a paneled library, with a stately carved wood fireplace. A long colonnaded terrace runs parallel to the salon, overlooking a wide clean expanse of lawn that sweeps down towards the sea. Beyond the salon lies a graceful barrel-vaulted Horace Trumbauer ballroom, which can comfortably seat up to 120 people for dinner – the only private house in  Newport  capable of accommodating an indoor dinner party of that size. A bar and kitchenette are conveniently hidden at the far end of the ballroom, facilitating service.

On the east side of the main hall is a delicately tinted dining room. With magnificent ocean views, diamond-paned windows, and an elaborate marble fireplace, the stately proportions of the room are generous enough for formal dinners, yet light enough in scale for intimate gatherings. An extensive service wing lies just beyond. The professional chef’s kitchen benefits from commercial refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, stoves & safety features.   Adjacent service areas include a proper butler’s pantry, a large staff dining room, complete with kitchen and dishwasher, and a sizeable laundry.  Two guest powder rooms are discreetly located off the main hall

Upstairs on the second and third levels, the same attention to detail, comfort and aesthetic coherence is everywhere to be seen in the 2 master bedroom suites and the 7 family/guest bedrooms.  The second floor is divided into two generous oceanfront master suites, both with private, substantially sized ocean-facing stone terraces, bedrooms, baths, fireplaces, dressing rooms, and custom designed walk-in closets; both suites are thoughtfully appointed with bespoke amenities of every conceivable kind. A kitchenette and breakfast area is thoughtfully situated off the large second-floor landing.  One other ensuite guest room is located directly opposite the breakfast area.  Above on the third floor are 6 more family/guest bedrooms and 6 full baths.  Additional bedrooms and storage rooms, located within the service wing and accessible via the back staircase, provide ample staff living quarters and allow owners maximum privacy and enjoyment of their home.

An elevator serves all three floors and the basement level. The house is heated with natural gas and fully air conditioned; the furnace is new. A natural gas powered generator is capable of running all systems in the main house, as well as providing power to the 3 bedroom carriage house apartment. The natural-gas hot water heating system with holding tank is of hotel-level quality, as are the water filtration and softening systems. Fairholme’s electrical systems are of course completely up-to-date, as is the commercial grade, state of the art fire-safety/fire-suppression system. An antique wine safe ensures that costly vintages are properly secured. There are 8 working fireplaces in the main house.

Additional Amenities

Outside on the grounds, the more seasonal pleasures of Fairholme are on vivid display. On the western side of the house, a stunning 38’ x 70’,tiled infinity edge swimming pool and wonderfully decorative cabana pavilion lie sheltered from breezes within a brick enclosure. The pool is individually hand tiled – an extravagant rarity in this day and age – and the tiles impart an incomparably vibrant hue to the water. On the shore side, a retractable glass wall allows for unobstructed appreciation of the oceanfront setting. Two heated marble cabanas, both with full baths and heated floors, a covered veranda, a bar, and an extensive sound system round out the visible pool amenities; other, less visible features include 2 furnaces to meet the various heating demands within the pool complex and a large equipment room.  Beyond the pool area, the grounds themselves are meticulously landscaped and professional outdoor lighting systems have been installed throughout the property.

Three interconnected heated greenhouses are located to the east of the main house. To the north of the greenhouses is a 4000+ square foot carriage house with three staff apartments, which combined contain a total of 6 bedrooms, 2 kitchens, 1 kitchenette and 4 full baths. Additional features of the building include a 5 car heated garage, a gym, an estate office, a maintenance shop, grounds personnel lavatories, laundry facilities and separate garden equipment sheds.

History

The social history of the property is equally rich in detail. Fairholme was first created as a "summer cottage" for Fairman Rogers of Philadelphia, a wealthy arts patron and engineer;  Rogers , also a noted coaching authority, is the subject of Thomas Eakins' iconic tour du force of late 19th century American painting, "Fairman Rogers' Four-in-Hand".  Twenty years later, the Drexel family - also of Philadelphia  - purchased the property and promptly enlarged and updated it, adding the Trumbauer ballroom and tower and otherwise modernizing the interior. The Drexels were very much a part of the  Newport  summer colony's social scene, and Fairholme was the setting for any number of lavish entertainments attended by friends and neighbors such as the Vanderbilts, the Astors, the Van Beurens, and the Belmonts. Slightly later, the estate was acquired by the Count and Countess Alphonso Villa, followed by industrialist railroad magnate Robert Young, whose wife Anita was the sister of artist Georgia O'Keefe. The Duke and Duchess of  Windsor  were close friends of the Youngs and were frequent guests at the estate during their tenure there, as was Jack Kennedy, who often made use of the swimming pool.

Other Features & Amenities:

• Pool