Tucked away down a gated cobblestone driveway in the heart of Southampton Village is a luxurious, designer home that hit the market with The Agency last month.
“This home offers opulence and elegance like none other in the Hamptons,” says Kieran Rodgers, who has listed 23 Heady Creek Lane for $7.75 million with Ricardo “Ricky” Pena and Nicholas Campasano, partners in The Agency’s offices in Bay Shore and Huntington.
The seller is Anthony Bonomo, co-owner of the legendary horse, Always Dreaming, which won the 143rd Kentucky Derby in 2017. Like the pedigree of his racehorse, he elevated the home with many customizations when he purchased the new build, putting his own touch on the 6,000-square-foot home.
The decadent six-bedroom, eight-bath mansion boasts over-the-top amenities and fine finishes that raise the bar, from the grand entrance with its polished wood floors and double-height ceiling to the picture frame moldings and the floor-to-ceiling glass doors that allow for a seamless transition between indoors and out.
“Throughout the house, you have a silver cast, patina metal luxury wallpaper, and in some other parts you have the same application put on but with paint,” says Pena. “It’s super expensive, very time-consuming and beautiful.”
The main living space offers an open-concept kitchen, breakfast area and living room all of which feature timeless and elegant details. At the end of the living room is a fireplace, the first of six throughout the home.
The chef’s kitchen features honed marble countertops, designed to not allow spills to penetrate, and cabinets that reach the ceiling with illuminated glass display cases across the top. There are high-end, stainless steel appliances throughout, such as a Sub-Zero refrigerator, a built-in Miele espresso machine, two dishwashers, an ice machine, a wine fridge and a Wolf stove. Sonos speakers are built in throughout the house, including the kitchen.
A formal dining room allows some separation, currently outfitted with a large circular table underneath a delicate crystal chandelier.
Down on the lower level, there are more entertaining spaces — two in fact, both with cozy fireplaces. A striking glass-enclosed wine cellar that can hold a few hundred bottles can be found there.
There is also a well-appointed gym and a guest bedroom with a full bathroom.
As for the primary bedroom suite, it boasts a terrace balcony overlooking the pool, a massive, custom walk-in closet and a large spa-like bathroom with a large glass-enclosed shower, a standalone tub and dual sinks.
Many of the items in each room were made especially for the home.
“As you go in each bedroom, you will see custom area rugs that were each individually made for each room,” says Campasano. “You’ll notice the borders of the rug tied in with the shades, with the floors.”
An interior designer made sure each room fit each of Bonomo’s children’s personalities. “So when you go in the son’s room, you’ll notice it’s very equestrian-driven — he’s really into the horse world with his father, whereas the daughter’s bedrooms have a little bit of a different feel, one of a more, Audrey Hepburn feel.”
“One of the pieces of art that is not staying with the property, but it’s really just a statement piece, it’s a painting of everyone in his family, including his parents, his kids, and there’s numbers throughout. And, those are all dates, anniversaries, birth dates,” Campasano says speaking of the painting hanging in the kitchen. It was created by Federico Castelluccio, an actor best known as Furio Giunta in The Sopranos.
“He’s actually a painter as well, and a personal friend of the homeowners. So as you come in and see that painting, which you can’t miss, it’s a really special piece that a lot of people tend to gravitate towards,” Campasano says.
Just outside the glass doors on the first floor is a bluestone patio with an outdoor fireplace and a top-of-the-line barbecue island station, says Rodgers. Just steps away is the heated gunite pool with a tranquil waterfall spa with a bluestone patio that continues around the pool.
A fully equipped pool house provides comfort for guests with central air conditioning. The cabana offers a full bathroom, a refrigerator and even a beer tap, perfect for entertaining.
There is also a two-car garage.
The house is situated on a half-acre lot in Southampton Village, around the corner from Hill Street, where the Southampton Movie Theater is undergoing a major renovation and walking distance to shops and restaurants in the heart of the village. Plus, it’s a short distance from the ocean beaches and with a village parcel, parking passes to the famed Coopers Beach are of course free. It’s a major selling point for buyers looking for access to the most pristine beaches in the world, says Rodgers.
The Agency Brand Helps Sell
The home has been on the market before at a much higher price without much movement. The Agency got the listing about three weeks ago and already has had several showings and a well-attended exclusive open house.
A boutique real estate firm, The Agency Long Island is under the umbrella of a powerhouse brand founded on the West Coast by Mauricio Umansky, whom many may recognize as being the husband of Kyle Richards on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills or his new hit Netflix show Selling Beverly Hills or even his most recent stint on Dancing With The Stars.
After a successful launch in Huntington, on the island’s North Shore in late 2021, Pena and Campasano expanded their franchise’s footprint by opening a Bay Shore office earlier this year. (The Agency office that opened in Bridgehampton late this summer is a different franchise).
Now, Pena and Campasano are looking to open an office on the North Fork soon.
“We’re just trying to make sure that we cover all the markets in between the Hamptons and the city,” Pena says.
“Our goal is to be able to serve clients across Long Island, between Manhattan and the Hamptons. Every single market is different. Manhasset is different from Huntington from Bay Shore, and then, and then that’s different from the North Fork. And we need to know how to approach those markets and their clientele,” Campasano says, adding, “We’ve strategically hired agents within those particular markets to allow us to do so, and we’ll continue to do that.”
“The goal is to continue to provide the white glove service across Long Island that has become accustomed to The Agency and that’s what we fully intend to do. We really want to showcase our ability to market any type of home price point. It doesn’t matter.”
They see their branding as something that sets them apart. “We are fully aware of our leader, our fearless leader, Mauricio, and what he adds to this brand and it allows us to reach different marketing allowing us t o stay relevant,” Campasano says. “So the brand in and of itself is something that is extremely important, and we need our clients to realize that on its face value.”
Why does branding matter? “It matters because when we take this listing in Southampton at $7.75 million, we’re now connected to 90 offices around the globe that have the clientele looking for second homes on the East End of Long Island,” he adds. “That’s the power of this brand. That’s what helps set us apart.”
They can reach agents and therefore clients in Turks and Caicos, Portugal and across the country in an instant.
Across all offices, The Agency is really pushing its listings across all social media platforms, Rodgers says.
“Other real estate companies are trying to merge to take over technology and keep up. With this sexy brand brings new technology and we’re able to push it out to thousands if not millions of people that much quicker.”
Rodgers joined The Agency about 18 months ago. His prior brokerage “was just very corporate and you kind of have the feeling that you’re just running solo.” At The Agency, he says he feels a sense of unity and having a team, which has translated into more sales. “It was one of the best decisions I ever made.”
All three of the agents have transacted out east before. “We are just doing it at another level. We took this house, this beautiful house, which has already led us to other opportunities. We’re not gonna give you all the info right now, but there is more fun stuff to follow, I promise you that.”
This article appeared on the cover of Behind The Hedges Powered By the Long Island Press in the November 2023 issue. Read the full digital edition. For more on Long Island real estate on Behind The Hedges, click here.
