Three $1 Million-Plus Houses Sell in Newport Last Week

NEWPORT, RI—The upper tier of city's residential real estate market continues to show signs of strength with three $1 million-plus transactions recorded last week, including two historic properties of architectural significance.

The Francis Morris House, an 1883-built, 4,036-square foot Victorian designed by famed architect George Champlin Mason, sold for $1.23 million.

The house has been carefully restored and renovated to include central air and a professional kitchen while protecting its historic charm.

The house reflects a skilled architect unloading his talents with varied embellishments inside and out. Contrasting stylistic elements fit together unexpectedly, joined like a tough puzzle solvable only by a master. Among the stunning details is a tall stained-glass window that speckles the stairway and landing with colored light.

Mason, a 2006 inductee into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame, built several mansions in Newport during the Gilded age and helped found the Newport Historical Society.

While many of his buildings were demolished over the decades, some remain, including Woodbine Cottage, also known as the George Champlin Mason House and the home of the Architect's Inn.

Mason and his son, George C. Mason Jr., built about 150 houses in Newport alone through their firm, George C. Mason and Son.

Mason was also a newsman and once had an ownership stake in the Newport Mercury and was a contributing writer to the Providence Daily Journal, New York Evening Post and other publications.

Mason died in 1894 in Philadelphia and was buried in Island Cemetery of Newport.

Michelle Drum of Gustave White Sotheby's Realty was the listing agent. The original asking price was $1.295 million.

Over at 3 Cliff Terrace, "The Cliffs" sold last week for $1.84 million, a bit shy of the $1.995 million list price.

The 3,010 restored Victorian cottage offers ocean views from its vantage point on the hillside overlooking vistas of the beach and St. George's.

Originally built in 1870, the renovated house has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms and has a wrap-around deck.

Dina Karousos of Gustave White Sotheby's Realty was the listing agent.

At 21 Cherry St., a new-but-historic-looking custom 2006-built house sold for $1.46 million.

This 4,634 square foot home sits in a desirable location near the water in The Point neighborhood. Uncompromising details, including a state of the art wine-cellar and awesome barn-style garage door, reveal the modern underbelly hiding under the structure's stately skin.

In this historic neighborhood, houses cannot be wantonly built without careful consideration.

As a new construction, concerns about some of the pitfall potential with buying a large historic property go out the window.

And the view outside the window include a tidy and inviting patio and entertaining area with both green and hard surfaces.

The property was last assessed at $1.28 million.