Located at 72 Apaquogue Road, the residence spans 10,000 square feet with four legal levels of living space that wouldn’t be allowed today but were grandfathered in after zoning laws changed. There isn’t a fully finished basement and instead, just a partial one used to house utilities.
Apaquogue was built in 1884 as a boarding house when the Long Island Rail Road was extended from Sag Harbor to East Hampton. It was the first of its kind in East Hampton and came at a time when hotels were growing in popularity to accommodate summer visitors. The 16-bedroom, 7-bath house was able to host up to 30 boarders at a time, and some of the bedrooms still have the original room number on the door.
Interestingly, the hotel once housed Belgian children that had evacuated from a war zone in Europe during World War I.
Features of the home include a large wraparound porch, original period details, three fireplaces, and distant ocean views. There are also hardwood floors, multiple living areas, and the original handcrafted staircase.
In 1919, the current owners purchased the property, remodeled it and turned it into a private residence. The property has not received any major renovations since then, but it’s been kept up. The 4-acre property is currently being sold by the sibling heirs in the family who have since moved on to other locales.
Unfortunately, the property no longer has its bed and breakfast status, and new owners wouldn’t be able to get commercial zoning to make it into a business again. But, there are also no historical restrictions on the home, so buyers would be able to tear it down if they desired to build their own custom home.
The 4-acre parcel cannot be subdivided. If new owners were to raze the existing shingled home, zoning would allow for a 10,550-square-foot residence with a finished basement plus a pool and a tennis court. Or, the new property owners could keep the 19th-century beauty and add a pool, pool house, garage, and tennis court.
The Apaqogue House is located just a half-mile from the ocean at Georgica Beach and 2 miles from East Hampton village shops and restaurants. Frank Newbold and Marilyn Clark from Sotheby’s International Realty represent the incredible listing.
Interested in 72 Apaquogue Rd? Contact Marilyn Clark at Sotheby’s International.