Long before the Hamptons became a playground for the wealthiest 1%, it was a potato-growing epicenter, and now this vestige of its humble past is ready for its next custodian.
This property at 488 Ocean Road in Bridgehampton is on the market for $4.45 million and is a former potato barn that was transformed into the beloved home and studio of renowned artists Carl Mann and Hector Leonardi, who have owned it for the last 32 years. What’s particularly noteworthy is the structure’s appearance: As the potatoes have grown, most of the barn has been buried underground, and its peaked roof is just beginning to emerge slightly above grade.
Mann and Leonardi are approaching their 90s and have decided to say goodbye to retirement.
“The secret to renovating is deciding how you want to live,” Mann said.
When they first acquired the property it was just a dirt-floor farm building, but they saw its potential and meticulously restored it, blending rustic charm with their eclectic, artistic tastes.
The barn’s interior is a canvas for the couple’s creativity and expresses their love of European antiquities, a flair that is apparent in the property’s photography.
One outstanding feature is the wall decorated with decorative plates from all over Europe.
Additionally, a historic wooden spiral staircase brought from 18th century Paris lends the property both functionality and artistic appeal.
The twin studios, flooded with natural light, are a testament to Mann and Leonardi’s careers.
These creative sanctuaries, filled with paints, brushes and canvases, have become the epicenter of their artistic endeavors.
With three bedrooms and four bathrooms, the property spans 3,780 square feet.
Mann has spent over 50 years practicing the “delicate art of collage and assemblage” and his work has been exhibited in prominent galleries throughout North America and in private collections around the world.
Leonardi has exhibited his work extensively, from New York to Japan and many places in between. Locally, his work can be seen at The Drawing Room gallery on Main Street in East Hampton.
Kyle Rothko, a real estate agent with the Gomez Team at Douglas Elliman, describes the property as “one of the most unique assets we’ve ever found.”
“It’s really amazing to see how this former potato warehouse with its dirt floor and no windows is now filled with sunlight and home to two separate artists’ studios,” he told the Post.
