Timeless Historic Bayfront Home in Oldest City!

Stunning River Views from Stately Bayfront Beauty!

Rarely do Flagler Era homes become available and this enchanting home is
one not to be missed. This Bodley/Bennett residence was built in 1910 and
meticulously renovated between 2010 and 2012 to bring back its former
glory.
Designed by famed architect Fred A. Henderich and constructed as the winter
home for FW Bodley Family, this home was later owned by Thomas B. Bennett
of the Model Land Company and Florida East Coast Railway. This stately
residence overlooks the Matanzas River with spectacular views from every
floor. The third-floor balcony is the icing on the cake!
With over 4000 SF, the home has been expanded to include 6 bedrooms and 5
full baths. At the owner’s option, it can serve as a legal duplex with a
full residence on the first floor–a 2 bedroom 1 bath with a wonderful
living room that includes a gas fireplace. The kitchen/dining room has
charming leaded glass cabinets and more views. The main bedroom includes a
beautiful four-poster bed–and more views! There is a full bath with a
walk-in shower and a guest bedroom suitable as a den or office. Previous
rents were in the $2000 to $2500 range.
The 2nd and 3rd floors have served the current owners well, creating a
spacious retreat for their large and close-knit family. You’ll enjoy a
wonderful family room full of built-ins and window seats that every
Victorian girl would have swooned over, and a “Fairy Room” with its own
secrets and surprises!
The huge family dining room can host your guests for casual or formal
meals, served from the updated kitchen with custom cabinets and drawers for
all your kitchen storage needs. A main bedroom suite includes 2 bathrooms,
one with a tub and one with a walk-in shower. Closets with many built-in
features and a laundry room with a wet sink complete the picture for this
vintage luxury residence. From the west windows you can enjoy a view of
beautiful gardens at the Oldest House complex.
The 3rd level might just be your favorite. The floor at the entrance
features a stout peek-a-boo window made of structural glass for viewing the
first electrical wiring ever approved and installed in a private Saint
Augustine residence! (Yes, Fred Henderich’s clients were the first Saint
Augustine residents to have electricity, and this is that house!)
Next, step through onto heartwood pine flooring custom-sawn from beams
recovered from a New York subway station and enter the Sky Room. The current owner
retained a veteran Disney Imagineer to design an interior space with ceiling
and windowed-wall treatments so that the house forms a portal matching the
sky outside. Step through the balcony door and experience expansive
270-degree vistas that include the Bridge of Lions, the historic Saint
Augustine Lighthouse and the Matanzas River as it flows in from the sea,
through Saint Augustine, and southward.
The 100-year-old cedar shingle exterior was replaced with beautiful new
shakes in the 2010-2012 remodel. Elaine Darnold, Contractor of Choice for
Historic Homes in St. Augustine, handled all phases of the renovation,
resulting in top quality and many custom features. The 100-year-rated,
standing-seam copper roof is approximately 20 years old. This is a rare, high-quality
fabrication, hand-turned and fitted by a seasoned crew and supervised by
one of Saint Augustine’s most experienced copper-roofing contractors.
Parking is not a problem. The garage, with a Harding Steel SUV-XL car
lift, provides room for 2 vehicles, and 2 parking spaces in the driveway serve the home
well.

Please contact the listing agent for more information and showing appointments.

*You don’t really own a historic home, you become a steward of a piece of
time*.

Details

Property ID
518150

6
Bedrooms

5
Bathrooms

Square Footage
4015

Lot Size
0.09

Year Built
1910

Style
Shingle Style

Property Website