The Water Mill estate of shoe mogul Vince Camuto, who recently passed away, has been put on the market for $69 million. Villa Maria, a Gatsby-era property, was purchased by Camuto and his wife in 2005, and the couple spent years restoring the waterfront manor to its original 1920s glory.
Built as a private residence in 1887, Villa Maria was extensively remodeled for the first time by Brooklyn-based architect Frank Freeman in 1919. Eventually the property was turned into a convent and spirituality center, but in the spring of 2005, it was put up for sale. The Camuto’s purchased the property for $35 million and enlisted New York City architect Andre Tchelistcheff in the major restoration, which according to the listing from Sotheby’s International Realty took six years. The property is also listed with Timothy G. Davis of The Corcoran Group, the noted Hamptons real estate pro who worked with the Camuto’s over the years on multiple deals in the Hamptons.
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Villa Maria was originally built in 1887 as a private residence. (Photo: Patrick McMullan/PatrickMcMullan.com) |
“There was something magical about the place,” Camuto said during a feature about the home in Architectural Digest. “Though the nuns couldn’t afford the upkeep or the taxes, they wanted a buyer who would take care of it.” The Hamptons estate features an extravagant 22,000-square-foot home located on 11 acres overlooking Mecox Bay. The 11 bedroom mansion includes an impressive 6-room master suite, a handmade stone and wrought iron staircase, waterside pool, pool cabana, large stone terrace overlook the bay, tennis court, and a two-bedroom guesthouse.
