The Engel Team: mid-century modern

Showing posts with label mid-century modern. Show all posts

Monday, February 15, 2016

Modern Architecture Tour in New Canaan

Architect James Evans discussing the Evans House with future architects from Roger Williams University

Last week I hosted 3 architects from Aamodt Plumb along with 15 students from Roger Williams University as we took a tour of 4 of New Canaan's best midcentury Modern houses. We saw the Philip Johnson Boissonas House of 1958 and learned what makes it unique among Johnson's commissions in town. Philip Johnson's confidant and protege Marty Skreleunas

built a fire and made us feel right at home in the Noyes House. Architect James Evans gave his personal tour of the Evans House with it's exceptional parabolic roof. Jenny Xie, a reporter from Curbed Magazine attended the tour and honored the Evans House by making it Curbed's House of the Day.

Finally, we ended our tour at the famous Willis Mills House. The architects took note of many of the fine craftsmanlike custom details such as how the steps form acute angles rather than the standard risers of 90 degrees.

Thursday, January 21, 2016

New Canaan Market January 2016

Fellow Real Estate fans,

China and oil grabbed all of the financial headlines this month. What about the Fairfield County real estate market? Glad you asked. Public Open Houses are getting traffic. Pendings are up (17 versus 11 in the last 30 days) This is what is happening in the market in our area:

Area Sales: We told you Stamford, Darien, Wilton, Norwalk, Westport, Weston and Ridgefield collectively show the number of sales is up 4.54% and $ volume up 3.3%. When you take out Westport and Ridgefield and add Greenwich the county sales are up 9.3% and dollar volume down 3.1%
New Canaan market: 243 house sales was the same as last year. This is 21 houses above our 10 year average of 222 single family home sales.
New Canaan Inventory: We begin the year with 188 houses, up 47 houses and 33.3% year over year. Pretty soon we will stop talking about last year and accept that a range of 188-340 is the new normal
Condos: Much attention has been placed on the decrease in sales: down 37.7% for the year. But as we said last month 2014 was exceptional and a statistical aberration. We came in at the new normal level for sales (38 sales vs. the 9 year median of 45) and inventory (40 active vs the 9 year median of 47).
Pendings: Pendings are up in New Canaan houses (16 vs. 12 at year end) & down for condos (2 vs 5).

Interest rates will rise this Spring and the psychological impact cannot be overestimated. A rising tide could impart a newfound sense of urgency to both buyers and sellers. Sellers may accept the diminished buying power and borrowing power of buyers. Lookers, fearing a market slipping away from them, may become buyers. We have the inventory; tThis Spring should see more deals at all levels.

Below is a link to our January Market Report, which includes detailed information on the market this past year. If you would like to discuss the report, or if you have any other questions, feel free to contact us at 203-247-4700 (JE) or 203-247-5999 (SE) .

Best regards,

John and Susan

29 Maple Street condo $899,000

If you want a condo that's in the downtown this is the one. High ceilings. Beautiful wood floors. Gardens. Owner is highly motivated to make a deal this winter. Bring it.

Pride's Crossing #9 condominium - $899,000

A beautiful brick end unit at Pride's Crossing means twice as many windows, double the light. The garage is a few steps from the patio. The basement is finished.

108 Toby's Lane - $1,350,000

One of the few examples under $1.5 on the West side, this immaculate house offers privacy, a play yard and a view of the river.

474 Main St. condominium - $1,400,000

A 2014 built condo, top of the line kitchen, 2 garages, Geothermal heating & cooling, with views of a forest and pond with flat sidewalks into town.

309 Park St. condominiums - $1,650,000

NEW construction along Mead Park. The front house has a first floor master. The rear house borders the park.

289 New Norwalk Rd condominium - $1,695,000

Very private townhouse in the newer portion of Canaan Close features 3 large bedrooms (with ensuite baths) and 6 private balconies or decks overlooking the 5 Mile River

44 Benedict Hill - $1,799,000 The Evans House

From 1960, one of the most striking and pure examples of midcentury modern architecture in the world, period. Put this one on your bucket list. Now rented for 2016/2017. See the video of architect James Evans discussing it here.

1380 Ponus Ridge Road - $2,550,000 Willis Mills House

Yes, its an important midcentury modern. But, it's an absolutely livable and fun modern house with the finest materials, a gourmet kitchen, pool and attached garage. And, at this price you simply cannot find a better modern.

1094 Ponus Ridge - $2,222,000

You say you want charm and character from the 1930's, but updated. You want a "football field" flat lawn. And, you'd like to live on Ponus. This is the house for you. See the video of 1094 Ponus's sunset views here.

242 Wahackme Rd - $3,400,000

Maybe the best poolside entertaining in New Canaan. Consider it has the grandest soaring front foyer. This is an important house, showing like new, not to be missed.

1083 Smith Ridge - $4.200,000 Everybody who enters this house says "Wow " Four levels of beautifully finished space & high ceilings, includes a gourmet eat-in kitchen, adjoining family room & lower level spa opening to the outdoor pool. A paneled library, with fireplace, terrace & alcove is a godsend. See the video of 1083 Smith Ridge.

227 Lambert Road - $5,150,000

The quintessential family compound on the banks of the Five Mile River includes a gracious main house with river views, a separate studio/office, a guest house and the expertly designed, award-winning party barn. The peaceful, 2.6 acre property is bordered by 2.4 acres of Land Trust and the river. See the video of 227 Lambert Road here.

474 Main Street rental $7500

1654 Ponus Ridge rental $5900
44 Benedict Hill rental GONE

1271 Oenoke Ridge rental $4000

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Gone Again: Midcentury Modern with the Hyperbolic Paraboloid Has Been Rented, Coming off the Market

That's right, you let the opportunity slip through your fingers once again.

The James Evans house of 1960 with its famous Hyperbolic Paraboloid roof has been rented for the next 18 months and is coming off the market later this month. I've attached several photos of the house, taken from several different angles and during different seasons to show off some of the outstanding features and tell the story of this house one more time:

John Engel and James Evans, Spring 2015, addressing a group of Belgian architects

Showing off the colors of Autumn

These turnbuckles, similar to what you might find on a ship, counter the lateral forces of the roof.

Close-up of the turnbuckles which support the house on the lower level.

Architect James Evans with a group of Belgian architects.

James Evans points at the famous roof and describes how it came to be

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Marcel Breuer's Masterpiece, Breuer II of 1951 is For Sale for $5,850,000

Yes, this is 628 West Road in New Canaan, known as the Breuer II house and it is for sale.

Breuer I was built in 1947 and Breuer II was built in 1951.

Breuer II is listed by Sherri Keilland of Houlihan Lawrence in New Canaan. This house can be shown to qualified buyers only by an appointment with the listing agent. You can reach her at 203-966-3507.

I recently had the pleasure of taking some of my clients to see this great house and it did not disappoint. Sherri could be the best agent at showing a house in all of New Canaan. Always on time, always prepared, she took the time to show the house and had it unfold for my clients in a way that really brought the house to life. With an encyclopedic knowledge of the midcentury moderns in general, and this house in particular, she took us through the history of the house, what was original, what had changed, and how Toshiko Mori had followed Breuer's original intent while bringing the house into the 21st century.

My client was heard to say at the end of our tour, "This house is a bargain at the asking price." Indeed.

Here is a link to view information about Breuer II including maps of the property, photos and video.

And, here is a link to the recent story in Realtor.com in which I am quoted talking about Breuer and the importance of this house:

“The Breuer II house is an exceptional work by a master and commands a seven-figure premium over ordinary houses of the same vintage or size,” says John Engel, a New Canaan agent. Engel isn’t the listing agent for the Breuer II, but he has a deep understanding of historic properties in the area.

“It is estimated that over 90 true Mid-Century Moderns were built between 1946 and 1968, and about 50 have survived [in New Canaan]. And there are more modern examples that borrow from the clean lines of the Mid-Century aesthetic,” says Engel. “There is an increasingly strong market for these homes driven in part by the aesthetic, in part by a resurgence in popular culture with shows like ‘Mad Men.’”

“Breuer II is unusual in a couple of key ways,” says Engel. “First, Marcel Breuer is one of the most important members of the Harvard Five, and he did only two houses in New Canaan. And he did this house for himself. Second, this house has been updated and expanded by a world-renowned architect in a tasteful way, consistent with the Breuer aesthetic.”

Breuer’s accomplishments are many. Born in Hungary, he began his career as a furniture designer and developed the “handlebar chair,” later known as the Wassily Chair, which is still being replicated and imitated today.

His accomplishments include designing the Whitney Museum of America in New York City and the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. He was awarded the American Institute of Architects gold medal in 1968.

This is the Pirelli tire building in New Haven, now owned by IKEA. It is a Breuer masterpiece and no, it is not for sale.

(Again, Breuer II is listed by Sherri Keilland of Houlihan Lawrence in New Canaan. This house can be shown to qualified buyers only by an appointment with the listing agent, 203-966-3507)