By Darrell Hofheinz
Daily News Home and Loggia Editor
Palm Beacher William B. Finneran who in 2007 paid a recorded $17 million for
an oceanfront estate on Via Los Incas bought a house this month at 210 Eden
Road for $3.1 million. That’s according to the deed recorded May 11 by the
Palm Beach County Clerk’s office.
Finneran’s real estate agent, Gary Porher of K2 Realty’s Palm Beach office,
wouldn’t say how Finneran plans to use the Eden Road house, citing a
confidentiality agreement with his client.
Broker Shirley Wyner of Barclays International Realty had set the price of the
four-bedroom house at $3.495 million when she acquired the listing in
September. The deed lists the seller as Helen L. Appel with an address on
Park Avenue in New York City.
Designed by architect Randall Stofft and built in 1995, the house stands five
streets north of the Palm Beach Country Club. Its features include a
circular driveway lined with eight queen palms, deeded beach access and an
outdoor entertaining area with a summer kitchen.
Finneran has an extensive background in investment banking and securities, and
is a founding partner at EXOP Capital LLC in New York City. He also is
chairman and CEO of Edison Control Corp, a director of the Palm Beach Civic
Association and a trustee of Villanova University, his alma mater.
Five years ago, Finneran bought 5 Via Los Incas, which had been jointly owned
by several entities, including at least one associated with New York-based
real estate investors Arthur Minerof and Lawrence Genco.
In 2005, Minerof and Ginco were involved not only in the purchase of 5 Via Los
Incas but also of the house next door at 6 Via Los Incas. They acquired the
latter for $14.8 million at a court-ordered auction related to the
bankruptcy of its then-owner, former WorldCom chairman John A. Porter.
The investors discussed the possibility of combining the two lots to achieve
250 feet of beachfront and developing an oceanfront “spec” mansion there,
according to press reports. But those plans never materialized, and both
lots were subsequently sold.
Finneran bought his house on Via Los Incas at the height of the real estate
boom, and Milan Associates sold the house next door early last year for
$17.05 million to Sean M. Healey in a deal put together by agent Lore Smith
of Sotheby’s International Realty.
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Speaking of Eden Road — Susan and Lee Gordon have sold their
five-bedroom house at 332 Eden Road for $2.37 million to their next-door
neighbors, Gregory and Mardi Hayt, according to the deed recorded May 17.
Linda R. Olsson Inc., Realtor had listed No. 332 at $2.995 million, down from
a high of $3.75 million when it first went on the market in October 2010.
Lee Gordon acted on behalf of himself and his wife in the sale.
Agent Heather Woolems Rogers of Sotheby’s International Realty represented the
Hayts, who a year ago had bought 324 Eden Road. Gregory Hayt is managing
director and chief risk officer of Paloma Partners, a hedge fund based in
Greenwich, Conn., according to Internet sources. The Hayts have another home
in Mount Kisko, N.Y.
The Gordons, meanwhile, have moved to West Palm Beach, where they are
renovating a home on Miramar Way.
They dropped the price of their Eden Road home this season “because we were
more serious about selling it,” Lee says.
In addition to holding a real estate license, Lee is a Palm Beach-based real
estate attorney. He’s also the son of Arlette and the late Robert Gordon,
who for more than 40 years owned a home at North Lake Way.
Built in 1953, 332 Eden Road has nearly 4,600 square feet inside and out,
according to the sales listing. The Hayts’ 1955 home next door is slightly
smaller at 3,739 square feet.
The Hayts plan to replace the Gordons’ house with a new home, Rogers said. But
she added that she didn’t know their plans for No. 324.
■
Midtown sale — Wall Street investment banker Kim S. Fennebresque
has paid a recorded $2.4 million for a five-bedroom house at 225 Barton Ave.
It had been last marketed at $3.45 million by Fite Shavell Associates,
although at one point it was priced at $4.75 million.
Listing agents Dorita Barrett and Paula Wittmann of Fite Shavell had listed
the house for Barbara and Jerry Perlman, who had owned it since 1998 through
a family limited partnership.
The British Colonial-style house dates to the mid-1930s and has architecture
by noted society architect John Volk, who designed many of the houses in the
middle block of Barton Avenue, which runs several streets north of Royal
Palm Way. The house has a little more than 5,500 square feet of living
space, inside and out.
Agent Elizabeth Cleckner of the Corcoran Group acted on behalf of
Fennebresque, who is chairman and CEO of Dahlman Rose Co. investment
bank in New York City.
The April 30 deed was recorded May 2.