Gold Coast Charm: Spotlight on North Shore Enclave Huntington Bay, N.Y.

By Grace Cassidy Spanning just one mile of land due north of Huntington on the North Shore of Long Island, and home to less than 1,500 people, Huntington Bay, N.Y., is an idyllic waterfront retreat. Risa Ziegler Primarily a residential enclave, with no downtown or commercial district, Huntington Bay offers a perfect balance of access to the restaurants, shops and transportation options in nearby Huntington and exquisite privacy, proximity to water and historic charm. “Huntington Bay is the sort of place where many people born in the area say, ‘One day I want to live there,’” said Risa Ziegler , a Douglas Elliman agent who not only represents several homes in the area, but is also a resident with deep knowledge of its history. “It’s so tucked away and so private, you wouldn’t even know it existed.” Much of what makes Huntington Bay so distinct is thanks to August Heckscher, the German-born financier and philanthropist who purchased a large swath of land, developed numerous homes near the water and creator of Huntington’s Heckscher Museum of Art and Heckscher Park . Photo by DanTD, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Some of Heckscher’s family homes survive today, including the 1901 “beach cottage” at 15 Wincoma Drive , which was recently listed via Ziegler for $2.89 million and is now in contract. Built in the late 1800s, 15 Wincoma maintains many of its original architectural details, including millwork, molding, the double bridal staircase, fireplaces, leaded glass windows and the doors that lead into the greenhouse. The home has undergone numerous renovations over the decades, and the bathrooms, kitchen, plumbing and fixtures have all been updated. Situated on just over an acre of land, the turn-of-the-century home is host to six bedrooms, four full bathrooms, and two half-bathrooms. When it was originally built, a generous greenhouse connected this home to the caretaker’s cottage, which is still standing on a separate property – but only a small portion of the greenhouse still exists. Today, the home is complemented by an in-ground gunite pool, patios, and a koi pond. Homeowners will appreciate deeded beach and mooring access through the Wincoma Association. “The house is super current, but it still has the original integrity, charm, and character,” said Ziegler, who noted that it made an ideal winter cottage for Heckscher and his family. “The main house was right on the water in a spectacular setting. It was bigger and more conducive to entertaining in the summer. He probably closed that house up during the winter and moved into this one because it was more manageable.” Another historical home association in Huntington Bay is Bay Crest, which comprises 21 homes and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Many of the homes were built during the original development of the area, between 1890 and 1905, including the 6,000-square-foot, Victorian-style summer cottage at 46 Baycrest Drive , another of Ziegler’s listings currently on the market for $4.75 million. Located on a spacious 2.53-acre plot of land, this historic Long Island abode features five bedrooms, five full bathrooms and two half-baths. Affectionately known as “Willow Pond,” homeowners can enjoy endless water views, period details throughout the home and 100 feet of coastline on Northport Bay. Features include hardwood flooring, coffered ceilings, gas fireplaces, a four-car tandem garage with heating and cooling, an elevator, 3,000-bottle wine cellar and a solar-heated gunite pool outside. 46 Baycrest Drive, Huntington Bay, N.Y. | $4,750,000 “The fact that this house was built in 1888 and is in such spectacular condition is a testament to the wonderful housekeeping that the current and past owners took to maintain the property,” Ziegler said. “It’s non-intimidating, beautifully built, wonderfully scaled, and one of the most incredible locations that exist.” A resident of the association herself, Ziegler notes that all of the homes in Bay Crest were built to face the water, although some views have been obscured by landscaping that has matured over the years. “The way it sits by the water and by the pond, it’s one of the most beautiful, bucolic settings,” she said of 46 Bay Crest Drive. “It defines what a lot of people think about the Gold Coast.”