Uruguay-linked historic Rye estate sold for $12.25 million

A waterfront estate in Rye, New York was sold for a whopping $12.25 million.

This historic Georgian colonial home first hit the market in May 2022 for $14.99 million.

The estate was built in 1917 by the architectural firm Trowbridge & Livingston, founded in 1894 by Samuel Beck Parkman Trowbridge and Goodhue Livingston.

The partners also designed the iconic St. Regis and the JP Morgan Building on Wall Street, as well as the original Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, the B. Altman and Company Building, and the Oregon State Capitol.

The original owner of the 2.82 acre property at 859 Forest Ave. was one of the owners of the Dodge Motor Company who built it as a wedding present for his daughter. In the 1960s, the reconstruction work was led by the architect Yasuo Matsui, who worked on the Empire State Building. By that time, the house was named Bayberry Cove.

In the 1960s, Ambassador Carlos Maria Velasquez, head of the Uruguayan mission to the United Nations, lived here. The property also served as an embassy for the South American country.

The eight-bedroom, 8,800-square-foot home sits 470 feet above the water and features a private sandy beach, deep-water jetty, pool, and hot tub. There are also green lawns, a heated paved driveway, a four-car garage with adjoining carport, a conservatory, and a widow’s walkway with panoramic views of Long Island Sound.

Inside the house, there are French doors, several terraces, five fireplaces, parquet floors, high ceilings and large entertainment spaces. There is also a home office, a formal dining room, a chef’s kitchen, a breakfast room and a lower level spa.

The sellers bought the property in 1999 for $5.95 million – about $10.8 million today.

The listing brokers were Elizabeth Higgins and Michael McCue of Compass.