On the East Coast, an 1800s property that served as a U.S. Life-Saving Service station and later as the home of Broadway star Gwen Verdon just hit the market for $8.95 million.
Verdon, a four-time Tony winner whose life was recently detailed in the FX miniseries “Fosse/Verdon,” owned the oceanfront estate until her death in 2000.
According to the listing, the property in the village of Quogue, on New York’s Long Island, was used until 1915 as a station for the Life-Saving Service, which was the predecessor to the U.S. Coast Guard. Equipment to help rescue shipwrecked sailors was stored in the coastal building. It’s been updated since but still boasts the original sign, original flooring and a boat room, along with other antiques and memorabilia.
A mahogany porch wraps all the way around the two-story home. Other highlights on the 1.1-acre estate include a detached bungalow, heated pool, grassy lawn, outdoor shower, and a wooden catwalk that leads to 150 feet of beach.
Inside, living spaces feature beamed ceilings, hardwood floors, paneled walls and plenty of built-ins. There’s a brick fireplace in the living room and a freestanding fireplace in the kitchen.
Five bedrooms and three bathrooms complete the nearly 4,000-square-foot floor plan, including a primary suite with a balcony. Up top, a raised deck overlooks the ocean.
Enzo Morabito of Douglas Elliman Real Estate holds the listing.
Verdon grew up in L.A., where she attended Hamilton High School. She won Tony Awards for her roles in the musicals “Can-Can,” “Damn Yankees,” “New Girl in Town” and “Redhead,” most of which were collaborations with her husband director-choreographer Bob Fosse.