By Tyler R. Morrissey
An Old Saybrook home at 10 Mohegan Avenue with a Hollywood pedigree has a new owner. The property is the former summer home of one of the Nutmeg State’s most famous residents, Hollywood icon Katharine Hepburn. William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty Essex agent Colette Harron listed the property, which closed in August for $11.5 million.
After an exclusive story in The New York Post, the news of the sale traveled far and wide, from local publications such as The Hartford Courant, to the west coast with a piece in The Los Angeles Times. The story also found its way around the world thanks to articles from Forbes, the AP and The Daily Mail.
Renowned New York builder Frank J. Sciame, Jr. and his family first purchased the Hepburn estate in 2004, when he decided to rehabilitate the home to preserve its historic essence. In 2013, Sciame got permission to subdivide the land to build a second home on the once three and a half-acre estate, which became the elegant and inviting cottage at 6 Mohegan Avenue. This separate property is on the market for $5.88 million.
The original home, located in the Fenwick borough of Old Saybrook, had been in the Hepburn family for decades and was her residence until her passing in 2003. The three-story, 8,368-square-foot residence was built in 1939 and features six bedrooms. It overlooks a private pond and a golf course.
Wanting to keep this retreat as secluded as possible, Hepburn made sure to build her house on a one and a half-acre lot. Inside there are seven and a half baths and seven fireplaces. Living spaces include living and dining rooms that overlook Long Island Sound, a kitchen with AGA stove and Sub-Zero refrigerator, den, chart room, potting room, pantry and laundry room. This exquisite lifestyle doesn’t end here. On the vast pristine grounds of the estate lies a sandy beach and dock with boating access to the Hamptons. The property also has the convenient ability to land seaplanes in front of the house for a casual afternoon visit, as Hepburn’s good friend, aviator Howard Hughes often would.
Hepburn’s former home is not the only property in Old Saybrook that Sciame has purchased. He has been the co-owner of Saybrook Breakwater Lighthouse, and this week Sciame solidified his control over the 49-foot tower. He plans this fall to begin turning it into a guesthouse. Built in 1886, the iconic structure sits at the mouth of the Connecticut River and you have probably seen it many times before across the state and may not even have realized it.
Since 1993, the sparkplug-style light house has adorned the state’s “Preserve the Sound” license plates. According to Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the funds generated from the sale of “Preserve the Sound” license plates support schools, municipalities, environmental groups and other non-profit organizations that apply for grants for projects that are beneficial to the Long Island Sound.
According to a recent Bloomberg story, the lighthouse will need to undergo restoration to its exterior after surviving numerous storms, including the infamous 1938 New England Hurricane, which swept everything away except for the tower. Sciame was able to obtain full ownership of the lighthouse through the purchase of 102 A Sequassen Avenue, a five-bedroom, 7,781-square-foot home that was built in 2006. The spectacular beachfront residence has rooms that overlook the sea, a modern chef’s kitchen and a roof deck with 360-degree views. The home also features period design and decorative elements including baked oak floors from France, beach stone fireplaces, coffered ceilings and palladium windows.
If you missed out on your chance to live in one of Old Saybrook’s finest waterfront communities, you’re in luck. Still on the market is 102 B Sequassen Avenue, a three-bedroom, 2,643-square-foot home on just over half an acre of land. Built in 2006 with the finest in materials and craftsmanship, the shingle-style house features panoramic water views and its own deeded access to the beach. The great room has a coffered ceiling and beach stone fireplace, while a fabulous kitchen is highlighted by marble countertops, mahogany custom cabinetry and antique brass fittings.
While the former Hepburn property is no longer in Sciame’s possession, he will be able to enjoy an equally stunning residence in the Fenwick section of town for years to come.
