A Sag Harbor Village house that served as a place of refuge for Truman Capote when he was banished from New York City society is back on the market. Originally built in 1841, the reimagined home at 207 Madison Street is now asking $16.495 million with Hedgerow Exclusive Properties.
“It’s exceptionally rare for a home with such a distinguished history to be brought back to life with this level of care and vision,” says Preston Kaye, co-founder of Hedgerow Exclusive Properties. “207 Madison Street is not only a piece of Sag Harbor’s heritage, it has been completely reimagined for modern living with a close to four-year restoration process. Compound opportunities like this, where historic character and brand-new craftsmanship are so seamlessly woven together, seldom come to market in the Village.”
Col. Henry Wentworth Hunt, publisher of The Sag Harbor Corrector, which eventually merged with The Sag Harbor Express, built the house in the classical revival architecture. Three generations of the Hunt-Johnson family lived before they parted with it in 1951. Joe Petrocik and Myron Clement bought it in 1967 and lovingly restored it, taking great pride in its history and often opening their doors for historical house tours.
They met the In Cold Blood author on a Sagaponack beach in the late 1960s when he approached them to inquire if they had seen his dog, Maggie, according to an interview Petrocik gave this author for The East Hampton Star in 2018. The next day, while having lunch in Manhattan, where Clement ran a successful public relations firm with Petrocik, Capote happened to be at a nearby table.
“That was the beginning of a long, long friendship,” Petrocik said at the time.
Capote ended up spending so much time at their home that they referred to the front parlor as “Truman’s bedroom,” where, later, an original painting of him was hung over the fireplace. The couple remained loyal friends until he died in 1984.
They even came to acquire Capote’s beloved red 1968 Ford Mustang convertible. When Capote died, he left it to his partner, the novelist Jack Dunphy, and when Dunphy died in 1992, Petrocik and Clement acquired it from the estate. They had it fully restored in 2004 and place a license plate on it that read “Capote” as a tribute.
We’re told it can be acquired as part of the sale.
Clement died in 2018 and Petrocik passed away in 2020, and their estate sold the house in 2022. It’s now owned by a limited liability company called “Project Capote.”
Though the house has undergone a major renovation — that took three and a half years to upgrade it with modern amenities — many original elements remain. They include solid timber porch columns, the front door with rim lock and sidelights, hand-hewn beams and earl brick and granite from the chimneys and the foundation.
The residence was lifted to allow for a new foundation and expanded with a 1,400-square-foot addition. Now, there is 5,000 square feet of living space across three finished levels with five bedrooms and six bathrooms, plus two half baths.
An entry foyer opens to formal living and dining rooms, along with a Truman Capote-inspired lounge. Meanwhile, the eat-in kitchen features custom white oak cabinetry, a leathered quartzite island, a La Cornue gas range and high-end appliances from Sub-Zero and Miele. There are wide-plank white oak, Belgian bluestone, custom millwork, and Waterworks fixtures throughout.
Three en suite bedrooms, including the primary suite, can be found upstairs.
Down on the lower level, there are guest/staff suites.
Other amenities in the home now include a fitness center with a steam shower, radiant-heated baths, and Lutron home automation.
The 0.38-acre property has been newly landscaped with mature hornbeams, pleached lindens and lush perimeter greenery. A heated 17-by-40-foot saltwater gunite pool and an eight-by-eight spa are flanked by the restored glass conservatory that Petrocik and Clement built on the property with a legal bath.
An expansive Kota limestone terrace and gardens is framed by original granite. There is also a versatile garage/pool cabana with powder room, a bar and an outdoor shower.
With existing approval from the village’s Board of Historic Preservation and Architectural Review, a driveway gate can easily be installed for additional privacy.
Check out more photos below.
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