Several homes with historic windmills in Westhampton Beach’s estate section have recently come on the market, with one selling just last week.
Town & Country sold the property at 32 Beach Lane, a fully restored circa 1900s home with approximately 7,000 square feet, for $5.65 million on October 14. It had been listed in July for $5.995 million, up $4.99 million in December 2019.
The six-bedroom, six-and-a-half bath post-modern sits done 1.9 acres. The three-story tower windmill sits separately from the house, which some may remember as the backdrop in Rocket Gibraltar, the 1988 film starring Burt Lancaster.
Aimee Fitzpatrick Martin of Saunders & Associates has two more listings featuring historic windmills on nearby properties located less than a mile to the village beach on Dune Road and Westhampton Beach’s newly transformed Main Street.
The first, at 25 Seafield Lane, listed with Fitzpatrick Martin with Laura Dalessandro, also of Saunders & Associates, is an historic estate once owned by Charles Leviness Bausher, once one of the largest dry goods sellers in New York with a Thomas Street store that took up almost a whole city block. According to the Westhampton Beach Historical Society, his son, Charles Leviness Bausher Jr., who later lived in the house, was the owner of the original Dune Deck Hotel in Westhampton Beach.
Situated behind private gated hedges, the 4,700-square-foot house has been completely updated throughout. It offers five bedrooms and five and a half baths. The first-floor master bedroom is located in a separate wing. But the heart of the home, the realtors say, is the elegant dining room with wood-burning fireplace, gourmet kitchen with tin ceilings and spacious breakfast room and built-in bar area for more informal dining.
The once-working windmill tower has now been converted into a gym.
Also on the 1.5-acre property is a three-car detached garage, large fountain, koi pond with lily pads, and mature specimen trees. There is a newly redone, heated, gunite pool surrounded by a large bluestone patio and an indoor pool cabana that leads to an outdoor shower. Fitzpatrick Martin said the property affords enough room to double the house in size if the buyer wishes.
The property at 25 Seafield Lane is on the market for $3.995 million.
Another windmill house, 15 Sunswyck Lane, is new to the market just this month. Set on almost two acres, the 19th century estate encompasses an entire block from Seafield Lane to Beach Lane. The 5,232-square-foot traditional-style house includes eight bedrooms and a five and a half baths.
The attached “caretaker’s cottage” offers an additional three bedrooms, one located at the base of the windmill. “One of the bedrooms has an attic-style hatch that gives a glimpse at the timbers of the original windmill tower,” the listing boasts of the property’s many original details.
Owned by the same family for the last 60 years, the main house has the original Dutch door with bullseye glass, original wood floors and beadboard ceiling and walls. There are four working fireplaces, a butler’s pantry, and a kitchen with informal dining.
The property, listed at $3.499 million, also has a gunite pool, Har-Tru tennis court and a large pool house with laundry, living room and full bath. Fitzpatrick Martin and Martha Lewis, also of Saunders & Associates share the listing.
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