As crime in the city continues to skyrocket, some New Yorkers may be looking for a temporary escape. And what better way to do so than with your very own private island situated only 30 minutes away from Manhattan?
Located in the upscale New Rochelle community known as Premium Point, the Mediterranean-style waterfront estate has hit the market for $4.9 million.
Pegged as a “vacation-like retreat,” the house is made up of six bedrooms and six bathrooms and spans a colossal 7,800 square feet. Features include an outdoor pool, an indoor gym and a two-car garage, with views of Long Island Sound and Premium Mill Pond.
For easy accessibility, the island has a concrete bridge, which was built when the house was constructed in 1917.
The current owners have updated the residence to include a two-story addition folding into a family room, a wine room, a bedroom and a full bathroom, plus a terrace with a built-in fireplace overlooking the water.
From the soaking tub in the primary bathroom, you can also enjoy unobstructed views of New Rochelle’s skyline and the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge.
Margaret Grasso of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices pointed out that the home comes with very little turnover in ownership, as the current owners have held on to the home for 35 years.
“People live there for 30 or 40 years,” she told Realtor.com.
The listing notes that the owners have raised their three daughters at the estate, highlighting “sunset boat rides, outdoor adventures, family barbecues and neighborhood gatherings.”
Additionally, the property comes with a pool house featuring a bedroom, a shower, a kitchenette and a changing room.
It also comes with several living spaces and a kitchen that holds two islands, Christopher Peacock cabinetry, two Sub-Zero fridges, two Wolf ranges and a Bosch dishwasher.
The convenience to Manhattan, Grasso says, is also a huge plus for many prospective buyers. The private island is a 17-mile car drive, or 35 minutes by train, into the city using the New Rochelle or Larchmont Metro-North stations.
“You’re on the cusp of New Rochelle, which is bustling, but also the quaint village of Larchmont,” Grasso told Realtor.com. “You have the best of both worlds.”
As an exclusive, gated community, Premium Point is a tight-knit neighborhood that offers 24/7 security. The entire neighborhood consists of a few small islands and tapering land, which are all connected by bridges to the mainland.
First known as an active gristmill, Premium Point then turned into an upscale local yachting scene, 6sqft reported. It later became a part of New Rochelle’s larger suburbs, which attracted renowned residents such as artist Norman Rockwell, J.P. Morgan, Nigerian billionaire and diplomat Antonio Deinde Fernandez and former Yankees manager Joe Torre.
It’s not the first private island outside of NYC to hit the market either. Willow Island in Putnam Lake, about 60 miles north of Manhattan, was up for sale for a shocking $850,000 in 2019. That same year, Columbia Island, located just off of New Rochelle in Westchester, was available to purchase for $13 million, and a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Massaro House and 10-acre Petre Island near Lake Mahopac in Carmel, NY, was listed for $12.9 million.