FOUR ARTS HAS NEW COLORFUL NATURE MURALS IN GUBELMANN AUDITORIUM

A 1930's building originally designed by Addison Mizner as The Embassy Club now houses the Four Arts Society, which includes the fabulous Gubelmann Auditorium.

Electrifying red colors that echo the Auditorium’s dominant color, and a newly exposed row of arches, add an illusion of looking through arched windows at a Florida sunset, according to the Palm Beach Daily News (“Shiny Sheet”). The previous “plain” look was said to be drab.  Budget surplus was used for these improvements.  The Auditorium seats 700 and features state-of-the-art electronics to ensure that the sound of a symphony playing in the Gubelmann Auditorium can be heard with great detail – even for those with severe hearing loss.

Included in the new arched murals are Florida-local birds and plants such as ibis, roseate spoonbill, hibiscus, magnolia, sea grape, palms and pines.  Mixed acrylic paint and casein were used to produce surface resonance for improved acoustics.

Presentations in the auditorium and within the complex include concerts, art exhibits, films, lecture series, library series, events in the botanical and sculpture gardens, classes on painting and art, and other cultural offerings.  There is a popular Children’s Library.  The Campus on the Lake offers cultural education lectures, workshops, classes and field trips exploring art, music, literature, drama and the art of living well.

The original 1930’s building was the Addison Mizner-designed Embassy Club. 

For more information: http://www.fourarts.org/

 

99 YEAR OLD TAMPA ESTATE GOES TO AUCTION

IMAGINE… owning a 3.5 acre estate overlooking Clearwater Bay in Tampa that is 23,919 sq ft, has 10 bedrooms, 15 full and 9 half bathrooms, 2 swimming pools, regulation size tennis and basketball courts, a gazebo, private dock and historic bell tower, and 500-year old oak trees!

Included are lavish crystal chandeliers and a former carriage house that is now a 5-car air conditioned garage with a hydraulic car life for extra parking.

It could become a family complex, small boutique hotel, organization’s retreat, or fabulous private home.  Century Oaks is the name of the estate.

Reserve price is $8.5MM, which means any offers below that figure can be considered by the seller, but the highest offer above that figure means an automatic sale.  On the market for $18.5MM, it was not sold.

http://realtime.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2014/09/26/99-year-old-luxe-florida-estate-goes-to-auction-block/

1925 WYETH MEDITERRANEAN HOUSE FOR SALE IN PALM BEACH

PHIPPS PLAZA 3-story landmarked Mediterranean style home that can be single family, or have rental units and owner still live there.  Right now there are 3 long term renters in units.  One block to ocean.  fireplaces, high pecky cypress ceilings, frog fountain, courtyard with park view, master upstairs, no HOA.  Located in center of town, walk to shop, dine et al. 

LOCATION!   LOCATION!   LOCATION!

FORMERLY LANDMARKED HOME BEING DEMOLISED, WILL BE REBUILT

 

 

 

 

 

Rare indeed is the allowance of demolition of a landmarked home.  Vita Serena was designed by Marion Sims Wyeth in 1926, but the house, at 105 Clarendon Avenue, Palm Beach had numerous problems such as decaying wood frame walls, termite infestation and extensive water damage.  Preservation was out of the question. The house was landmarked in 1990. For three decades it was the home of Jean Flagler Matthews, granddaughter of Henry F Flagler.  During the 1960’s, King Saud of Saudi Arabia leased the estate for several weeks.

A replica is being constructed by architect Harold Smith and structural engineer Albert Gargiulo, who said, “We are trying to work within the constraints of the decaying structure, and he recommends using reinforced interior masonry resting on a new foundation.  The contractor is John Rossi.  A stop-work order was issued by the town according to the September 5, 2014 issue of the Palm Beach Daily News and on September 19^th the paper reported that demolition was approved. 

The house sits on 2.2 acres with 143’ of oceanfront.  Interiors included old world detailing, cornices, moldings, arches, pecky cypress, 12’ ceilings.  There is a private tunnel to the beach, a 60’ pool, tennis court, oceanfront cabana, 5-car garage and whole house generator.  There was a finished basement and 680 ft of parking, fireplace and garden.   Public records show the house was sold in August 2013 for $86,699  while the Palm Beach Daily News reported on that day that the house sold for $10+MM and included an adjacent 4-bedroom guest house on South County Road.  The property is on a curve on South County and sale totaled $17.4MM.

The Palm Beach Town Council voted in January 2012 not to designate a Mediterranean Revival-style house at 100 El Bravo Way, a Landmark.  A 2000 sq ft addition to the 1922 home by Marion Sims Wyeth had altered the building’s form to such an extent that it no longer met the landmark criteria.  The work included a second floor added to the north portion of the house, saying  “this is a different house.  It doesn’t serve as a representative specimen of Wyeth.”

NYC TOWNHOUSE BUILT FOR DOUGLAS ELLIMAN 1909 WAS SOLD

 

 

Upper East Side Neo-Federal townhouse built in 1909 for Douglas Elliman at 177 E 71^st St just sold for $14.8MM.  It is 6 stories high.

Architect was S.E. Gage.  It was built two years before Elliman opened his real estate agency.

Twenty feet wide, there are 8 bedrooms, 6700 sq ft and has a gym, movie theatre, roof deck and garden and six fireplaces.   There are 6 full and 3 half bathrooms.