Missed the chance to purchase a private island in Connecticut for $100 million? Luckily, there’s another massive property next door hitting the market.
The 51-acre Ziegler Farm in Darien is being listed for $85 million, the Wall Street Journal reported. The waterfront parcel is adjacent to Great Island, which the town is in contract to purchase for somewhere north of $100 million, though a deal has yet to close.
The parcels on the Long Island Sound were both formerly owned by William Ziegler, a pioneer in the world of baking powder. The parcels have since been divided among members of the Ziegler family and remain largely undeveloped.
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There is not much on the farm property besides land. The only building is a cow barn. Approval is in place, however, to build up to 14 homes on the site, which could be advantageous for either a developer desiring a subdivision or a rich individual seeking a family compound.
There are two paved roads on the property, as well as water, electric and sewer lines.
Leslie McElwreath of Sotheby’s International Realty has the listing, as well as Joseph Barbieri. McElwreath told the publication that the Ziegler descendants are ready to sell because their “lives are going in different directions.”
Perhaps the farm owners will try to hook Darien into another big purchase. The Fairfield County town has reportedly been in contract to purchase the neighboring 60-acre Great Island for several months. The Steinkraus family, who descend from Ziegler’s granddaughter, listed it for $175 million in 2016 before cutting it down to $100 million this year.
It’s not clear how Darien intends to use the largely undeveloped land; the purchase requires several layers of approval. The peninsula includes a 13,000-square-foot stone manor and an equestrian facility built by Rafael Guastavino.
— Holden Walter-Warner