Listing of the Day
Location: Harbour Island, Bahamas Price: $27.5 million
Designed by French-born architect Thierry Despont, this modern house—with its views of the ocean and pink sand beach—is an oasis of calm for the family that has lived there for nearly a decade.
On an island frequented by the wealthy, the Despont name gives the home added cachet and “sets it apart from everything else,” said agent Neal Sroka of Douglas Elliman Real Estate, who is marketing the home with listing agent Robert Arthur of Coldwell Banker Lightbourn Realty.
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Built from wood and stone, the house has large rooms with high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. The interiors spill onto terraces, opening the rooms to their tropical surroundings: a fusion of indigenous vegetation, lush gardens, palm trees and sand dunes. An infinity-edge swimming pool overlooks the beach.
Although Harbour Island has been touted as the next St. Bart’s, the homeowners, and most of the island’s residents, prefer to keep things low-key. Eveningwear is generally faded T-shirts and flip-flops.
Despite its casual atmosphere, the island “is a playground for the rich and famous,” Mr. Sroka said. “It’s an island for people who could live anywhere.”
The Stats
The main house has two bedrooms, two full bathrooms and one partial bath. There’s also a guest cottage with two bedrooms and two full baths.
Design Pedigree
In 1986, Mr. Despont was hired as the associate architect for the centennial restoration of the Statue of Liberty. He is also involved in the renovation and restoration of other landmarks, including the Woolworth Building and Cartier Mansion in New York, and the Hôtel Ritz Paris.
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For his residential projects, Mr. Despont’s high-profile client list includes Bill Gates, Calvin Klein and Oscar de la Renta.
Neighborhood Notes
Harbour Island attracts some of the world’s wealthiest people, including Bill Gates, Barry Diller and Ron Pearlman. Mick Jagger, Lenny Kravitz and Cameron Diaz are also frequent visitors.
Mr. Sroka said Harbour Island has remained quiet and unspoiled in part because there are no large hotels or casinos, and housing inventory remains low.
“It’s clearly not Nassau,” he said. “There are no cars on the island, and everyone drives a golf cart. You’re not going to ship down your Maserati or Rolls-Royce to show off.”
Agents: Robert Arthur of Coldwell Banker Lightbourn Realty; Neil Sroka and Vincent Santoro of Douglas Elliman Real Estate
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