Inside a $19 Million Long Island Mansion Designed by the Architect of the New York Public Library
About 25 miles east of Midtown Manhattan stands Old Westbury, N.Y., a Long Island village where wealthy families have built opulent mansions in country club settings since the middle of the 19th century. One of bucolic enclaves most prestigious estates belonged to American architect Thomas Hastings, who designed and built the imposing residence at 10 Hastings Road for himself. Set on nearly 20 acres, the $18.9 million property is currently pending subdivision to accommodate a total of eight parcels of two or more acres apiece.
Hastings studied at Columbia University in New York City before making his way to Paris and graduating from the Beaux Arts College in 1884. He began working for the white-shoe architectural firm McKim, Mead, & White upon his return to the city. It was here that he met the Brazilian-born John Carrère, and the two later founded their own eponymous practice, Carrère & Hastings. The firm’s most famous building is the New York Public Library’s flagship location on Fifth Avenue, which became a National Historic Landmark in 1965, with the exterior further landmarked by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1967.
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The gated stucco manor, dubbed Hastings House, was built years before in 1932 with seven bedrooms and over five bathrooms. Ample entertaining spaces are also spread across its 7,233 square feet, which includes an elevator for effortless travel between floors. The historic estate was most recently owned by Ogden “Dinny” Mills Phipps, the horse breeding scion to one of the U.S. most illustrious families and a former chairman of the New York Racing Association, who died in April 2016. The proposed subdivision would include seven two-acre building lots, as well as the four-acre parcel where Hastings House stands, according to the listing.
A spiral staircase scales the mansion’s foyer atop oak floors that lead further into the residence. Formal living and dining rooms trail its entry level, each featuring lux millwork and one of the several fireplaces found throughout. An exposed wood beam ceiling hovers over the gourmet kitchen nearby with a dumbwaiter, butler’s pantry, and sitting area. The decorative print-laden primary bedroom on the upper level, meanwhile, is flooded with natural light. It also includes a pair of bathrooms.
Take a dip in the gunite pool before kicking back in one of the two alfresco entertaining rooms. In addition to luxury shops and fine dining, Old Westbury is an equestrian’s paradise that offers 18 miles of rails and is home to the U.S.’s oldest continuing polo club. Kristine Livadas of Compass holds the listing.
Click here for more photos of the sprawling Long Island estate.
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