Richard Gere Sheds Strongheart Manor

Financially, the past few weeks could have been a wash for Richard Gere. This past Monday, Justice Matthew Cooper at the Manhattan Supreme Court signed the papers that meant after a four-year tussle Richard Gere and Carey Lowell are officially divorced. Reportedly, the process dragged out because of haggling over money, with Mr. Gere’s estimated worth at $45 million. Presumably, that took a hit with the divorce settlement.

Or did it? The Buddhist actor may be feeling more serene as well as richer thanks to the closing on his North Haven estate, known as Strongheart Manor. That transaction has become official too, with the new owner being “Today Show” co-anchor Matt Lauer.

The estate was originally listed for $65 million, and Mr. Gere apparently had high hopes for a buyer who would fully appreciate it. Mr. Lauer did, but at a price of less than $35 million. The living area is 19,000 square feet and, including two guest houses, contains 12 bedrooms and 12 baths. Strongheart Manor was created in 1902 by Robert Edeson, a successful stage actor who had also starred in Cecil B. DeMille’s silent film classic “The Call of the North.” Because Edeson hosted visits by such famous performers as Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and the Barrymore siblings, the street acquired the name Actors Colony Road.

The structures sit on 6.3 acres that have 300 feet of bay frontage. Mr. Gere bought the property in 2006 for $6.9 million and did renovations to it. Amenities include a private pond, a basketball court, a grand piano in the formal living room, a den with an original stone fireplace, a gourmet chef’s kitchen, open-air fireplace pavilion and a screened-in porch almost spanning the entire length of the house and offering water views.

For the record, now that the property has officially closed, Mr. Lauer’s new acquisition consists of three parcels of land. Tushita Trust was the owner of 26 and 32 Actors Colony Road, which sold for the nice round numbers of $23,935,500 and $3,385,125, respectively, and Kensho Trust was the owner of 28 Actors Colony Road, which went for $6,429,375. For those of you without a calculator handy, the prices add up to $33.75 million.