An incredible piece of American history can now be yours. The estate where the late Jackie Kennedy Onassis, the former First Lady to president John F. Kennedy, spent her childhood summers is now listed for a cool $55 million.
Located in East Hampton, New York, the home is called Lasata, which means ‘place of peace’ in the Algonquin language of the native Montaukett people. It’s being sold by Los Angeles-based television, commercial, and film producer David Zander, who purchased the home for $24 million in 2018. The home has also been published in numerous magazines around the world and is recognized as one of the country’s most iconic properties.
Built in 1917 and designed by notable architect Arthur C. Jackson, the home was used as the Bouvier’s family’s summer home in the 1920s. According to the book Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: A Life by Donald Spoto, the property was owned by her grandfather, the late John Vernou Bouvier Jr., and she spent summers as a young child at Lasata.
While the house has been renovated and redesigned in both 2007 and 2019, the classic elegance of the home remains. Famed Parisian interior designer Pierre Yovanovich is responsible for the interiors, while Louis Benech did the gardens and landscaping. Zander was so detailed and committed to the design of the home that no expense was spared. According to The Wall Street Journal, Zander flew in a crew of painters from Paris to brush out the walls in the rooms in the cottony stroke he prefers. The result is a grand estate with graceful and timeless design.
It’s situated on a 7.15-acre plot and there is a total of 8,500 square feet of living space between the main residence and separate two-bedroom guest cottage. The main house has eight bedrooms, several living rooms, a light-filled kitchen and dining room, and cozy fireplace-filled nooks to enjoy. The main house also has a nice breakfast area, walls of bookshelves, a den, and a bonus room. High ceilings, skylights, and grand archways make each room feel brighter and more voluminous. The finest fixtures and finishes were added to bring this house to near perfection.
There’s also a caretaker’s cottage, pool house, three-car garage with a workshop, a pool, and manicured lawn space. The grounds are filled with century-old Linde, London Planes, Cork, and American Elm trees, as well as lush gardens and a flower meadow. Though it feels like you’re ensconced in total nature, the sound of the ocean waves from the home reminds you you’re not too far from the water.
Many of the details have been meticulously restored, like the casement windows and beamed ceilings, and the generous proportions of each room. In the renovation, which took several years, part of the home’s sagging facade was restored. Now, it’s an impeccable—and rare—property in the Hamptons. There’s plenty of space for additional structures or even a tennis court or sports court, should a future buyer wish.
The home is listed with Eileen O’Neill of Corcoran.
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