Shelter Island Modernist Home in Greenlawns with Pool and Guest House

A modern residence located at 24 Rocky Point Road in Shelter Island’s estate section of Greenlawns, represented by Penelope Moore, Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker with Saunders & Associates, is offered for sale and has just been re-priced to $3,290,000 for the Spring market. 

Set on two acres behind a gated entry, the property includes a main house and separate guest house, with established plantings, open lawn and 60-foot lap pool.

Located on the west side of Shelter Island, “Greenlawns” was among the first planned subdivisions on the island, established in the late 1800s as a summer destination for well-to-do New Yorkers. Nearby, the beach and landing at “Bootleggers Alley” served as a point where boats delivered steamer trunks that were then transported by horse and buggy to estate homes throughout the neighborhood. Today, the area remains defined by larger parcels and a sense of privacy. Within this context, the property stands as one of the few modernist homes in a setting more typically associated with traditional architecture.

Originally commissioned by Rochelle Slovin, founding director of the American Museum of the Moving Image, the house was designed by architect AC Hocek and completed in 1999. As noted in Elle Decor, Slovin approached the project with a specific directive, envisioning “a cross between a shed and a horse barn,” and a structure that would be one room deep to create “the feeling of living in a screened porch.”

The home follows the natural slope of the land, with a low, horizontal profile and a continuous roofline extending approximately 100 feet. The overhang forms a covered passage connecting the house to outdoor terraces, the pool, and guest quarters, reinforcing the relationship between interior and exterior spaces.

The layout separates shared and private areas in a straightforward way. The main living, dining, and kitchen spaces are arranged within an open plan, while the guest house—set across the courtyard—provides distance for visitors. The design draws on principles associated with the mid-century Case Study Houses, emphasizing efficiency, flexibility, and a direct connection to the surrounding landscape.

Interior features include 12-foot ceilings, radiant heat, a Bulthaup kitchen, and lighting by Hervé Descottes of L’Observatoire International. French doors on both sides of the house open to Ipe wood decks, allowing for natural light and cross-ventilation. The primary suite includes a dressing area and access to a private deck with an outdoor shower, while a second bedroom, currently used as a library, offers additional flexibility.

Outdoor areas are a central part of how the property functions. A rear deck overlooks the 60-foot heated lap pool, with adjacent guest quarters that include two bedrooms, a full bath, and a kitchenette. The enclosed grounds are landscaped with established privet hedging, specimen trees, and dark-sky lighting, maintaining privacy while preserving the natural setting.

The home has been featured in Elle Decor, Belle, The East Hampton Star, and Country Home, and was included in the Shelter Island Historical Society House Tour.

“What makes this house so special is the experience of being within it” said Moore. “As you come up the drive, you see it at the top of a knoll, set low against the landscape. Then when you step inside, the outside becomes part of your environment—whether in the warmer months with doors open on both sides and air flowing throughout, or in the winter when the expanses of glass bring the scenery into the house. People often say it feels like living within a piece of artwork, and I understand that—it’s a house you experience rather than just occupy.”

Located near Crescent Beach which includes Sunset Beach, The Pridwin Hotel, Perlman Music Camp and Camp Quinipet,  the property offers both privacy and easy summer amenities within Shelter Island’s estate section.

The offering includes approximately 2,890 ± square feet across the 2,194 ± square foot main house and 696 ± square foot guest house, with a total of four bedrooms, two full baths, and one half bath.