Eric Clapton

Luxury Homes in America - 2000 S Ocean Boulevard Manalapan, Florida

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• published: 05 Apr 2016
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http://premierestateproperties.com/listings/manalapan/2000-s-ocean-boulevard-33462/rx10202875 Laden with boughs of tropical trees, a long gated drive unfurls a dramatic vista high above the Intracoastal Waterway, inspiring a sense of wonder as it begins the experience of discovering this expansive Ocean-to-Intracoastal haven on Manalapan’s prestigious barrier island, just 20± minutes south of Palm Beach. This 15.65±-acre walled compound is a park-like botanical oasis joining two sublime Old Florida settings on South Ocean Boulevard – one on a 1,200±-foot stretch of dune-fringed Atlantic Ocean beachfront, the other spanning 1,300± feet on the Intracoastal Waterway at a bay-like expanse of the water, approximately half a mile wide. The centerpiece of the property is a large, elegant yet invitingly informal coral-clad main residence that brings the subtropical climate in through a series of loggias, open stairways, and balconies. While the main features of the estate are undeniably breathtaking, the property’s most mesmerizing quality is that of an Ocean-to-Intracoastal “private island” paradise in which the bisecting road magically disappears. This enchanting effect is the result of the residence comprising large wings on both the ocean and Intracoastal sides, joined by a unique and irreproducible 15±-foot-wide residential gallery that begins at ground level near the pool on the Intracoastal side and passes imperceptibly to a skylit foyer on the ocean side, denying the presence of the road above. This feature seamlessly “twins” the two sides of the compound, inspiring the original owners to name the property Gemini. Furthering the “roadless” effect, South Ocean Boulevard sits high on an elevated dune ridge above both sides of the estate, screened from the property below by both hidden walls and dense vegetation. Finally, completing the unique sense of seclusion, the ocean wing and guest cottages are the only oceanfront residential structures on this still-pristine stretch of the Atlantic Coast. There is nothing else remotely similar in all of Southeast Florida. The story of this extraordinary property begins with the original home designed by architect Marion Sims Wyeth that was built in the 1940’s for the Lambert pharmaceutical family and later became the winter retreat of Loel and Gloria Guinness. Now after a painstaking four-year collaboration of the current owners with noted Palm Beach architect Edson E. Dailey, completed in 2003, along with a total transformation of the property, the entire residence has been reconstructed and expanded to create a home as exquisite as it is well-engineered to withstand the elements. The centerpiece of the extensive compound, the 12-bedroom main residence includes separate guest quarters called the Ficus Wing. Also privately placed on the grounds are two four-bedroom beachside cottages, the seven-bedroom Mango House, the manager’s house with four apartments, and manager’s offices. Outfitted with commercial-grade systems, the main house also provides vast subterranean storage space with submarine-grade pneumatic doors. Created as a labor of love, Gemini’s breathtaking grounds are a world-class Caribbean-themed botanical garden that seems decades old and provides the setting for outdoor recreation. On the oceanfront, the pristine beach is lined with reinforced dunes that also border the PGA-standard golf practice area. From sand-carpeted paths among the foliage, two passageways, one large enough for a golf cart, connect to the Intracoastal side where a dock and pier serve the shoreline, within convenient access of the navigational inlet, rebuilt with a mangrove-cloaked revetment giving Old Florida beauty as well as protection and privacy. Near the freshwater pond that creates a bird sanctuary, the sports complex features a regulation tennis court, half basketball court, playground, miniature golf course, and charming butterfly garden with large-scale model train. By the delightful Robinson Crusoe-style tree house are a spa and cold plunge pool. The gardens themselves are a naturalistic wonder, landscaped with some 1,500 species of tropical trees and plants including over 120 species of palms, plus ancient cycads, epiphytes, ficus trees, ferns, orchids, bromeliads, and vines. Meticulously planned, the gardens are assembled with plants grouped according to their geography, ranging from various Caribbean islands to Central and South American regions.