A magnificent estate in Brookline, Mass. garnered headlines yesterday when it debuted on the market for $90 million. The rare and private parcel — known as “Woodland Manor” — is shrouded by mature trees, surrounded by the Putterham Meadows Golf Course and Brookline Country Club, one of America’s oldest and most prestigious country clubs.
Owners Paul Fireman, the founder of Reebok, and his wife Phyllis, assembled approximately 14 acres of scrub and ledge into a single property and transformed it into a tapestry of rolling lawns, ponds, sculpted rock outcrops and a horticultural encyclopedia of specimen plantings. The acreage and enviable location just five miles from central Boston have led some news outlets to distinguish it as “the most expensive property in Greater Boston.” Listing agent Jonathan Radford is not surprised.
“Never has a private residence of such quality, and in such an extraordinary setting five miles from the center of Boston, been offered for sale in New England,” says the luxury real estate veteran who is affiliated with the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Boston-Back Bay office and marketing the property through the company’s luxury marketing division, Coldwell Banker Previews International®.
A tour of Woodland Manor reveals its arresting beauty and allure. A winding driveway, a third of a mile long, leads to a European-inspired main residence spanning 26,000 square feet. Thoughtfully designed by Shope Reno Wharton and built in 2000 by Thoughtforms Corporation, the residence reflects the elegance, sophistication and care of its owners. From the curving façade of Indiana limestone to the 5,000 square feet of Deer Isle granite terraces with extraordinary garden views, the exacting level of detail found throughout the home inspires awe in everyone who visits the manor.
“It is a one-of-a-kind property that has been masterfully crafted with the finest materials and finishes,” says co-listing agent Deborah Gordon, who is affiliated with the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Brookline office. “Every inch of this home has been thoughtfully designed and constructed.”
For example, every exterior and interior stone was individually hand drawn with two- and three-dimensional project drawings. Detailed custom profiles of quoins, cornices, lintels, keystones, balconies, chimneys and decorative carvings are unique to this home. Adds Radford: “The appearance of simplicity was the ultimate construction challenge, achieved by creative architecture, sophisticated engineering and generations of the finest craftsmen.”
The Firemans took great pains to create a family home at Woodland Manor, and they succeeded.
“We took a significant amount of time to carefully create and design a home for day-to-day living, as well as casual and formal entertaining,” notes Paul Fireman. “It has truly served as our sanctuary and we will treasure our experiences and memories of this home.”
For more information on this extraordinary estate, contact Jonathan Radford at (617) 335-1010 or Jonathan.Radford@NEMoves.com, or Deborah Gordon at (617) 974-0404 or Deborah.Gordon@NEMoves.com.
