By Laura Martin
Greenwich’s shoreline is constellated with blue chip waterfront properties, each angling for the most coveted views. Just last week, the town’s largest and priciest waterfront parcel came on the market for $150,000,000. “Copper Beech Farm” is a 50-acre estate with a mile of water frontage and a recently renovated, historic Gilded Age mansion. Outside of New York City and the Hamptons, it is the most expensive property in all of Connecticut and New England. When timber magnate John Rudey sold it in 2014, it was the highest-price sale in the entire country at $120,000,000. Currently listed for sale by agents Leslie McElwreath and Joseph Barbieri of Sotheby’s International Realty, 499 Indian Field Road is once again making headlines since its marketplace launch.
“Kincraig,” as it was originally known, was built in 1898 by John Hamilton Gourlie who chose the land for its desirable natural elevation overlooking the Long Island Sound. Greenwich, like many towns on the eastern seaboard at the turn of the century, attracted well-heeled New Yorkers looking to escape the city and build grand coastal summer “cottages” and estates. Gourlie built a Neo-French Renaissance residence, which was then purchased and expanded by newlyweds Harriet Lauder and James Greenway in 1904. Harriet Lauder’s father was George Lauder, cousin of Andrew Carnegie, and cofounder of U.S. Steel. A million-dollar wedding present, equivalent to approximately 35 million dollars today, from her father was used to purchase “Kincraig.”
Renamed “Copper Beech Farm” by the current owners, whose identity remains shielded by an LLC, the Lauder Greenway’s original 13,500+ square foot, 8-bedroom, 8-bath, 9-fireplace main house still stands today, its notable legacy carefully maintained. Approached by a dramatic 1,800 foot driveway, the property includes spectacular walled gardens overlooking the water, a private island just offshore, a 75-foot swimming pool, a grass tennis court, apple orchard and two private beaches. Ancillary buildings include a carriage house with a clock tower and garage apartment, a three-bedroom gatehouse, an octagonal pool house and two greenhouses. “It’s extraordinary that a property like this still exists in Greenwich,” said listing agent Joseph Barbieri. “Having a waterfront property with such substantial acreage is rare in itself, let alone one that also comes with a historically significant house that still remains a private residence. It’s admirable that preserving and enhancing the original home seems to have been the mission statement for each successive owner.” According to Mr. Barbieri, the current owners were meticulous in renovating the house while maintaining its authentic period detailing; from the hardware and light fixtures, to tracery plaster ceilings and wood paneling.
In the tradition of “great estates,” the house is distinguished by its grand proportions, with 12-foot ceilings and formal rooms designed to maximize the stunning views. There is a paneled great hall leading to a screened porch overlooking the Sound. A formal living room with an original fireplace leads to two areas: a three-exposure solarium with coffered ceiling and plaster detailing, and a formal library with built-in bookcases and a fireplace. Richly paneled in oak, the formal dining room has a large, impressive fireplace and tracery ceiling; it adjoins the skylit kitchen with breakfast room. The second floor primary suite overlooks the exquisitely landscaped property and sparkling water vistas.
At a time when overdevelopment is a hot button issue for many Fairfield County towns, having a landmark estate endure over a century with almost all of its original acreage is both gratifying and impressive. “The hope is that it stays intact and doesn’t get subdivided. Nevertheless if it were to be developed, it would make a phenomenal generational compound, with multiple houses for family members” says Mr. Barbieri. The only other properties on the Fairfield County coastline with comparable acreage would be Great Island and Ziegler Farm, adjacent land holdings in Darien. With over 60 acres, Great Island was listed for $100,000,000 and is currently under contract with the town of Darien. The 51+ acre-Ziegler Farm is also listed with Ms. McElwreath and Mr. Barbieri for $85,000,000, however neither Ziegler Farm nor Great Island have a renovated original residence. Among Greenwich’s many historic estates, “Copper Beech Farm” is a property that lives up to its superlatives. “It is definitely a trophy property, the best in Greenwich” says Mr. Barbieri.
