Wish Upon A Star For These 3 Homes With Observatories: How Much House

ACROSS AMERICA — For people who like to poke their head in the night skies, a home with its own observatory is a dream house. The telescope can remain in a polar-aligned position, ready to use. There’s no need to tote it from here to there.

The American observatory movement from 1800-1850 saw rapid construction of public observatories by private individuals, communities and the federal government, but as a home amenity, they’re rare.

But as technology has improved, observatory dome manufacturers report increasing sales and observatories are more regularly added as options in home plans, according to a report by The New York Times.

“As the baby boomers and wealthy tech types retire, they want challenging hobbies like astronomy, and have enough cash stashed away to afford to build their own observatories,” Richard Olson, president of the Ash Manufacturing Company in Plainfield, Illinois, which makes steel domes for observatories, told the newspaper.

And, with an interest in amateur astronomy already high, the COVID-19 pandemic fueled a telescope buying spree. This week in How Much House, we’re featuring three properties in Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania that give those telescopes a room of their own.

Florida | $2,300,000

910 11th St. SW, Naples
Listed by: Yekaterina Nelligan | Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate LLC
Square feet: 3,216
Acreage: 5.05 acres
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 4 (3 full)
Year built: 2019

This house is designed for living, both inside and out. The observatory allows both stargazing and enjoyment of the panoramic views of the well-appointed estate.

It’s designed for an active lifestyle with a full-size tennis court, pickleball court and basketball hoop. A screened-in saltwater heated pool and spa create a resort-like ambiance. Three bedrooms are in the main house, and the guest house has two more that share a bathroom.

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A whole-house generator ensures an uninterrupted power supply. The 2.5-car garage has an electric car charger and RV hookup.

The house is 30 minutes away from Naples’ downtown and its beaches. Peek inside for more photos.

Michigan | $825,000

21 Elm Park Boulevard, Pleasant Ridge
Listed by: Erik Hill | KW City
Square feet: 4,766
Acreage: .46 acre
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 5 (3 full)
Year built: 1922

A stand-alone observatory on this property has a retractable roof and 400x telescope, but it could be repurposed for additional uses. It’s just one of the outstanding features of this 1922 gem, which has a two-story library with a rolling ladder and balcony.

There are more bookcases and built-in cabinetry in the oversized great room, which also has a wet bar. The vintage kitchen has high-end metal cabinets, stainless steel countertops, and east and southern sun exposures. The living room has a wood-burning fireplace. The huge primary suite has multiple closets, a sitting area and an ensuite bathroom with a walk-in shower.

A large wraparound, enclosed, heated porch has a hot tub. The original four-car tandem garage has an attached potting shed and storage room. Peek inside for more photos.

Pennsylvania | $1,635,000

248 Williams Road, Hawley
Listed by: Zachary Ranner | Davis R. Chant Real Estate Inc.
Square feet: 7,025
Acreage: 6.41 acres
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 4 (3 full)
Year built: 2007

The fourth-floor observatory balcony on this architectural masterpiece offers 360-degree panoramic views of this waterfront property known as Woodloch Sanctuary. It combines the best of everything the Poconos are known for — peace and serenity with nature.

The great room has a wall of glass to take it all in. The primary suite has a mahogany balcony. An outdoor patio fireplace makes it easy to drink in the views when the weather turns cool.

Location is everything with this luxury property. It is located near the 13th tee of the championship Woodloch Springs golf course, is only 10 minutes away from the world-renowned Lodge Spa, and 10 minutes from Woodloch Pines, a USA Today “best family resort” recipient. Peek inside for more photos.

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