A miniature castle in Irvington, New York—once home to actors Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy—has hit the market for $1.749 million.
Known as Villa Keen, the 3,502-square-foot stone abode features two turrets, a Mediterranean-style terracotta tiled roof and ornate stained-glass windows fit for modern royalty, according to last week’s listing with Ryan Paige and Adam Blankfort of Corcoran Baer & McIntosh.
“This is a one-of-a-kind find,” Mr. Blankfort said. “I’ve never seen a property with this proximity to New York City where you have your own courtyard.”
Built in 1929, it’s the type of house that can never be duplicated, Mr. Paige added.
“You just would never build something with this layout and this kind of character,” he said. “Financially, it just wouldn’t make sense for a lot of people. … It’s also on a really nice lot and you’re only about five minutes from the train station. You can be at Grand Central [Terminal] within 30 minutes.”
Far from a drafty old castle, the residence feels “really warm when you’re inside it. It’s definitely a nice place where I think families can gather for the holidays,” Mr. Paige explained.
Indeed, the current owners, Susan and Arnold Gunther, have made it their family home for the last 28 years, according to property records. Mansion Global could not determine how much they paid for the property.
“We, the Gunther family, have enjoyed the neighborhood activities: block parties, screened movies at the Hudson River, the Easter egg candy hunt. We love the history of the area,” Ms. Gunther said in an email, name checking former residents writer Washington Irving and glass artist Louis Tiffany. “The people are interesting people, and there’s always something to do.”
Over the years, a slate of notable names have also lived in the home, and the Gunthers “have been visited by all the former owners’ children or grandchildren through the years.”
Academy award-winning actress Shirley Jones, Tony Award-winning actor Jack Cassidy and their children—one of whom grew up to be musician and television producer Shaun Cassidy—rented the home in the late 1960s when they were both starring in the Broadway musical “Maggie Flynn.” At the time, Robert Wright, an associate producer of “The Carol Burnett Show,” was their landlord, according to 1968
