Winchester Estate On Sale for Cool $17.5 Million

For nearly a decade, the Time Equity property remained unsold as an approved 65-acre subdivision. In 1999 the property was finally "sold to the Pomerances with the intent that they would build on the property," said Mettling.

"The plan changed slightly so that his decision was to sell off a couple of big chunks," said Mettling. However, restrictions and covenants written into the deed would restrict future subdivision of the parcels.

Pomerance initially gave nearly 30 acres of land fronting Grantville Road to the neighboring Nature Conservancy. The land conveyed included the Silas Hall Pond.

Pomerance then sold a 143-acre parcel to the Yeary family of Rye, N.Y., according to Mettling.

According to Mettling, the Yearys purchased the 143 acres for $2,750,000 and have since carved a 4,000-foot driveway to their site and may begin building next spring.

A 127-acre parcel with frontage on Winchester Road was sold next, said Mettling, bought by Dartnell for $2,400,000.

"I sold one more parcel for Pomerance before he died in December," said Mettling. This parcel included the south half of the lake’s peninsula. Thirty-five acres in all were sold for $1,500,000. Approximately two-thirds of that land belonged to Pomerance and the remainder to a bordering neighbor.

"That left 120 acres of the remaining property," said Mettling, which became the Pomerance estate.

Of the original 438 acres and 91 additional acres owned by the Ilany family, four owners have direct water frontage on Winchester Lake. Because of the restrictions in place, those will be the only properties to have this luxury, explained Mettling. The state of Connecticut owns the rest of the shoreline.

"The house is on a mini-peninsula. It’s a 7,000-square-foot lodge-style home," said Mettling. "It is probably the finest craftsmanship and workmanship that I have ever seen in 38 years of this business. It is just a work of art."

Included on the property is a tennis court, inground pool and pool house and three-car garage. According to data from the Multiple Listing Service, the house has two fireplaces, four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms. The master bedroom is 27 feet by 21 feet and the great-room style living room is 36 feet by 28 feet.

The property sits on 1 mile of direct shoreline and includes a small island and a stone-lined canal with a boat basin and dock.

"It is just an absolutely beautiful blend of stone and wood," said Mettling. "Fifty feet away from the waters edge you can paddle a canoe along the shoreline and it just blends into the background."

Pomerance had the opportunity to see about 90 percent of the construction completed on the home when he died in December at the age of 66. The final touches to the landscape are just about complete as of this week.

Mettling said that it was the family’s decision, with Pomerance’s blessing before he died, to sell the estate. "The family did make the decision to sell rather than to keep it and enjoy it for themselves."

It is amazing "the spirit and commitment that he had to a dream to have this piece of property that others could enjoy without fear of it being developed," said Mettling.