Mansion in Mendon listed for $1.3M
What is thought to be the Rochester area’s greatest single-tale solitary-spouse and children residence, constructed during 1966 and ’67 for self-designed millionaire William J. Brown and his spouse, Janice, has been stated for sale for $1,295,000.
Situated at 200 Sheldon Street in Mendon, and at the time characterized by Cynthia Howk of the Landmark Culture of Western New York as suburban Rochester’s original “trophy dwelling,” the sprawling pinkish-white brick ranch includes 10,593-sq.-toes of residing place break up between a major home (measuring much more than 8,400 square feet) with a heated 45-foot indoor swimming pool, and a visitor house (measuring far more than 2,100 square feet).
In all, there are eight bedrooms, 11 bogs (eight total and three 50 {73375d9cc0eb62eadf703eace8c5332f876cb0fdecf5a1aaee3be06b81bdcf82}) and six fireplaces. A wonderful place with 17-foot ceilings is just off the key entrance, and the huge kitchen has a breakfast nook.
The semi-circular driveway stretches additional than a mile, according to a 1979 Moments-Union story, and the garage can accommodate up to 5 vehicles.
Available as a result of Howard Hanna Real Estate Providers, the thoroughly gated estate — originally dubbed Brown Manor — sits on additional than 21 acres of land less than a mile west of Mendon Ponds Park.
The house was produced by regional architect Don Hershey, renowned for his mid-century fashionable types. Prior to his death in 1993 at age 89, Hershey, who designed close to 500 houses in the Rochester location, typically spoke of Frank Lloyd Wright as a important inspiration, states donhershey.com, a site devoted to Hershey’s life and operate.
Nonetheless, you would be tough-pressed to discern that impact when viewing 200 Sheldon Street from the road.
“I would have loved to have seen the appears on the faces of the folks at Mendon Town Corridor when he came in for the making allow,” Howk explained to the Democrat and Chronicle in 2015. “There was no precedent for it.”
And not just because of its mammoth sizing, evidently meant for entertaining. The structure also is a exclusive mix of modern and classical architectural styles.
That stems from the fact that Brown — an inventor who established Dynacolor Corp., which made coloration film movie for amateur photographers and pioneered photographic processing gear — and his wife were being at odds about the home’s appear.
He preferred a little something modern-day, but she favored a more formal aesthetic, Hershey’s son Ken told the Democrat and Chronicle in 2015. So, the entrance of 200 Sheldon Street functions a two-story Colonial center entrance with columns and other Colonial functions (Janice Brown characterized them as “modified French provincial and Georgian” to the Brighton-Pittsford Publish in 1970), and the back again is more streamlined.
“It’s like a ranch household on steroids” is how Howk described the all round effect when she spoke to the newspaper 6 a long time ago.
She recalled passing the house all through Sunday drives with her loved ones in the late 1960s and assumed it to be some type of non-public club.
“You might be driving along, hunting at lovely vistas of agriculture and historic farm houses and barns and — surprise! — here’s this house,” stated Howk, who not long ago retired from the Landmark Culture as its total-time architectural analysis coordinator but carries on to volunteer for the company. “It just didn’t resemble any residence we’d ever noticed,” together with the mansions lining East Avenue, which are classically motivated.
Then once again, “George Eastman did not have a spouse to explain to him to do anything different with the style and design,” she stated.
The swimming pool wing at 200 Sheldon Highway (made with individual men’s and women’s modifying rooms and showers and a wet bar with seating for at least eight) is component of the back spot. At one particular time, a portion of its cathedral ceiling could be opened to the aspects with the press of a button, according to the Times-Union feature. It is not obvious regardless of whether that is nonetheless the circumstance the home’s sellers declined to remark for this story.
The residence also contains a horse barn with 13 stalls. Back again in 2015, Ken Hershey (who died this previous Oct at age 89) reported his mom, just after attending an open up dwelling hosted by the Browns through the early 1970s, joked that the then-carpeted outbuilding was great adequate for persons to are living in.
In accordance to the Brighton-Pittsford Publish story, in 1970, there was a fountain just outside the house the pool space and beside it was a large marble statue from the Memorial Art Gallery.
The present-day listing notes the interior’s marble flooring, a “west wing en suite,” a sunroom, a library and, outdoors, gardens and a pond.
The once-a-year residence taxes are $36,944.
William Brown (whose Dynacolor Corp. finally turned a subsidiary of 3M) listed the home, and its contents, for $950,000 in 1972 when his overall health commenced to falter, but it didn’t promote. He then gifted it to his alma mater, Carnegie-Mellon University, in accordance to the Times-Union story.
Brown, who also shared a large Florida property with his spouse, died in 1978 at age 67. Towards the stop of his life, he expended summers at a rather modest brick ranch in Pittsford. The university attempted to offer the Sheldon Street estate for $875,000 but step by step lowered the price tag and in December 1979 approved an give of $500,000 from Henrietta businessman Jess Williams.
At that time, it was the biggest price tag paid for a home in the 54-12 months historical past of the MLS at the Actual Estate Board of Rochester.
Centered on data from the Monroe County Clerk’s Office environment, it seems that Robert H. Hurlbut, founder of Hurlbut Treatment Communities, acquired 200 Sheldon Highway in 1982, but it is just not clear what he paid for it. Documents also demonstrate that in 1987, he took out a $500,000 home loan on the house, where he lived with his wife, Barbara, until finally his loss of life in 2013 at age 77. Barbara Hurlbut died in 2020 at 85.
Even with the continuing craze towards ever-bigger suburban homes, there even now is no comparable house.
“Initially of all,” mentioned Howk, after learning it was for sale, “it’s received an indoor swimming pool.” Any selection of other trophy properties have been created in this area above the earlier 50 years or so, she said, “but has everyone put a swimming pool in 1?”
The actuality that the house is on one level also sets it apart. And even today’s grandest residences tend to reflect a incredibly classic design and style mainly because they are easier to resell, she stated.
The Browns wished one thing a person-of-a-form.
“And that’s what Don Hershey gave them,” she said.
Reporter Marcia Greenwood handles basic assignments. Send out tale guidelines to [email protected]. Stick to her on Twitter @MarciaGreenwood.
