Homes Are Selling In Southampton's Art Village

Quietly tucked away in Shinnecock Hills, several houses in the Art Village of Southampton have been on the market in recent years. The newest addition to this group is 9 Montauk Highway, which is listed for $6.2 million.

The Art Village is made up of a cluster of properties, some with multiple dwellings, and it was originally a school, headed up by the famous American portrait, figure and still-life painter William Merritt Chase. Known as the Shinnecock Summer School of Art, it ran for 11 years, from 1891 to 1902, and was established by Janet Ralston Chase Hoyt, a real estate investor, philanthropist and artist.

Neighboring parcels were purchased by several wealthy supporters. “Of course it was a very interesting group of people who were the original occupants, including some very spirited students like Zella de Milhau and their celebrated leader, William Merritt Chase,” said Mary Cummings, research center manager at the Southampton Historical Museum. “It is unique in that it is like a little village unto itself. Architecturally, each cottage is different, but there is a charming compatibility in their style,” she said.

The Shinnecock Summer School of Art was the first major art school of its kind in the United States that offered “en plein air” painting instruction, according an “area heritage report” by Sally Spanburgh, a champion of historic preservation in Southampton Town and chairwoman of the town’s Landmarks & Historic Districts Board.

The 12 houses and village as a whole are unique in style and depth of history. According to the listing agent for 9 Montauk Highway, Gabriel Falco at Halstead Property, “A lot of the houses are in an arts and crafts style—interesting angles, kind of cottage-y but not in a quaint way, certain detailing and blocky.” Other arts and crafts features include an open floor plan, leaded glass windows, and dark wood wainscoting and moldings.

Sitting on 2.1 acres, the home, nicknamed “Skye West” by the owner, was listed in December 2014. The two-story, 4,347-square-foot house has 6 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, a sprawling great room, three wood-burning fireplaces and a pool. Unlike many of the other houses in the Art Village, it was built as a year-round home, explained Robyn Kammerer, executive director of communications at Halstead. “Many of the houses were originally built as summer residences or even as dormitories.”

A home with history, relative seclusion and amenities makes for an easier sell, and the homes in this unofficial village have been doing just that. One was picked up last year for $3.5 million, while another owned by fashion designer Kate Spade sold in December 2011 for $4.8 million. A third has been on the market for $2.295 million since July 2014, and two others are for rent.

Built in 1911, the home at 9 Montauk Highway still retains most of its original design. “The thing that is different with Skye West in terms of the other houses here is that it was built as a really proper house for a doctor, which was an upper-middle-class occupation at the time,” said Mr. Falco. Patients would have been seen in the home.

The new owner, it is hoped, will continue the tradition of preserving the history of the home. “This house was never restored,” said Mr. Falco. “It has been passed along from owner to owner, and that’s why the current owner is particular about who it goes to.”