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OMG, I Want That House: Pound Ridge, NY

OMG, I Want That House spotlights the most spectacular and unique homes that you can actually buy.

There’s nothing better than being treated to a shopping spree on Rodeo Drive, except maybe acquiring a lavish compound outside of Manhattan to call your very own. Both dream scenarios involve Richard Gere, but sadly, he’s only footing the bill for the former… and then only if your name is Julia Roberts—er—Vivian Ward. But that doesn’t mean becoming the queen of a bucolic New York estate is a pipe dream. For a modest $28 million, this Pound Ridge compound that Mr. Gere has enjoyed for the last 20 years could now be yours for the taking.

There are five different structures scattered around the property (read: plenty of space to breath between you and your fellow residents when you need some alone time). This one is from the main house which clocks in at nearly 11,700 square feet. It’s giant—three stories, eight rooms, and 11 bathrooms—but still maintains that cozy New England charm.

And on the theme of counting up your spoils, the main house also has nine fireplaces. But don’t worry, this is mostly just decor. While putting some logs on the fire will create the perfect ambiance during the winter, this is not an old English manor—heating and central AC are also available.

Turns out, when Gere says he has a “music room,” he means that in a very narrow sense. We suspect that this distinguished actor may be a wee bit obsessed with guitars. While you can make this room anything your heart desires when you are Lady of the Estate, we recommend sticking to the spirit of the space but maybe thinking a little more broadly when it comes to the instruments on hand.

If you happened to be blindfolded on your way into the home and you managed to miss the impressively-sized and posh facade, you would be forgiven for thinking you were in the quaint country home kitchen of a very well-stocked chef. We love the vibe that is screaming, “this cost you tens of millions, but it’s still cozy and charming.”

This home is only an hour outside of Manhattan, but it covers an impressive spread of land near the Connecticut border. Gere spent over 10 years buying up different parcels of land to construct this nearly 50-acre fantasy compound.

Alas, love changes everything. In 2018, the 72-year-old actor married his third wife and they had two children. They are now looking for a fresh start in upstate New York with a property that isn’t haunted by the spirit of Gere’s exes. It’s probably a good move as we suspect Vivian Ward doesn’t respect the intentions of a good saging.

This gorgeous mid-bathroom tub isn’t just for relaxation. With a barn, a paddock, and plenty of rolling hills, an obligation to acquire horses is practically baked into the ownership contract for the house. Let’s face it, as much as you might fancy yourself a character on Yellowstone, you’re not. Your muscles will thank you for some quality time spent soaking after a long day of recreationally trotting around your gentlewoman farm.

This bed isn’t the only thing tucked away in the house. The whole property has a glorious feeling of seclusion to it from its entrance. In order to get to the house, you have to drive deep into the property down a long and winding road.

We would never forget to point out the obligatory mansion pool. Rather than a concrete deck, however, this artificial swimming hole is surrounded by giant trees and a verdant green lawn that help it maintain its feeling of bucolic place. Now, we don’t like to bring up tough subjects when you’re envisioning your dream future, but who is going to get stuck mowing that massive lawn? Not I!

We’re exploring a sizable, amenity-filled compound owned by one of the Great American Actors—you didn’t think a single pool was all the water activity on tap, did you? For those days when you’re feeling very anti-chlorine, you can wander down to your very own private pond that comes complete with a row boat and a sandy beach. If we hadn’t looked at a map, we wouldn’t believe this property was landlocked.

Not only is there a natural seclusion when you own 50 acres of land, but this compound has an extra layer of protection from any pesky outsiders. It is bordered by 4,300 acres of protected land, meaning there won’t be any crazy developers coming to your side of town trying to pave over all of your neighboring green space.

We get it—sometimes the distinguished library in your main home just won’t do when it comes to conducting your weekday wheeling and dealing. But there’s no point in panicking and making an angry call to what we can only assume is your army of assistants. Rest assured that one of the additional structures on the property is outfitted as a very comfortable office, setting a whole new bar for the idea of “work from home.”

Some properties have hidden passageways or hidden messages carved into the door frames (oh how tall little Teddy grew.) What Richard Gere chooses to hide away on his multitude of land is an entire soccer field. We’re here for it.

The main house was built in 2000 and for 20 years, Gere made this compound his home, steadily growing it for most of that time. While we are sure he is devastated to leave this gorgeous piece of land behind, the good news is that you can purchase what we’re pretty sure is a whole world unto itself for you and yours.

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Allison McNearney

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