One Of The Last Gardiner-Owned Properties Is Up For Sale In East Hampton

A little piece of history is up for sale—the Gardiner Home Lot in East Hampton Village, where Lion Gardiner’s descendants have lived for over three centuries, is on the market.

According to Douglas Elliman Real Estate, which has the listing, it is the last parcel of land this size that is still owned by the original family from 1648, when Lion Gardiner claimed it for himself. It’s now selling for $12.95 million.

The 3.7-acre parcel at 36 James Lane is right in the heart of East Hampton Village—across from the historic South End Cemetery and Town Pond, with frontage on Maidstone Lane—and sits adjacent to the Gardiner Windmill, which was commissioned in 1804 and restored in 1996.

There are two houses on the property, according to Douglas Elliman. The front house, dating back to the 1700s, has five bedrooms and three bathrooms, while the rear house originally served as a garage and staff quarters. The taxes to be paid each year for the property are $10,604.

In the 1990s, Olney Mairs Gardiner, who goes by Bill, and his wife, Karie, reportedly moved into the Gardiner home. Mr. Gardiner inherited the property from his uncle Winthrop Gardiner Jr. They later moved down the street to the home his grandfather had built. Mr. Gardiner did not answer knocks at his door on Monday.

Because the parcel is so historically valuable, there are certain restrictions as to what can be done to the property, according to Brian Buckhout, the real estate agent handling the listing. He said the front house could probably only be restored, and not removed.

“There are several easements on the property—an agricultural easement as well as a scenic easement behind the windmill—that would somewhat restrict the building envelope, but it still has the potential for a significant expansion of the rear house,” he said on Monday. “Since it is in the historic district, any proposed construction or expansion would have to be approved by the Design Review Board and the Architectural Review Board.”

Mr. Buckhout said that there are many possibilities, however.

“The property presents a unique opportunity for someone with vision … it allows for the potential of a substantial main house as well as a guest house, which is somewhat rare,” he said. “In addition, the 2-acre agricultural easement could potentially allow for horses.”

Two Douglas Elliman real estate agents, Mr. Buckhout and Tyler Mattson, have the listing.