Posts Tagged "Villa Am Meer"
Live from Longboat – 2012
I’m on Longboat Key this week, vacationing with my family. The weather has been amazing, and today is no exception. The forecast says sunny and 83 degrees, and as I write this, I’m sitting in my favorite spot, staring at one of my favorite views. The beach is less than 20 steps away, and this is where we sit and watch the sun set every night. Here are some photos from earlier in the week.
Click image for slideshow...
So, as you can imagine, it’s pretty easy to see why I love this place. But for those of you who have followed me along on my crazy journey, you know about a special little beach house called Villa am Meer that sits quietly and resolutely about a half mile up the beach. MY house… and the impetus for me to quit my career of 20 years and take this great, scary leap of faith.
[For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, it's a long and winding tale that all started with my very first blog post. Start here if you want the whole backstory: Villa am Meer, Chapter 1.]
Ross and I took a walk the other day to go check on my house. Nothing much new to report. A fisherman on the pier told us that a caretaker lives on the property, and as far as he knows, there are no plans to develop it anytime soon. It doesn’t look much different than it did last year at this time:
Me and my house, 2012
There is something new to report, though. Last month, I received an amazing gift via email. A relative of the Kohls who lives in Germany found my blog and sent me several old photos of Villa am Meer, taken back in its heyday.
Enjoy the gift. I’m off to soak up some sun.
Click image to view slideshow
Live from Longboat!
An update on Villa Am Meer
It’s Tuesday morning and I’ve finally had some time to exhale and catch up on my sleep. We arrived here on Longboat Key Saturday afternoon and have enjoyed beautiful, perfect weather every day. Today we woke up to our first day of clouds, so I decided to take the opportunity to write a quick update about Villa Am Meer.
(Achtung! Spoiler alert! If you have no idea what I’m talking about, click the link at the very top of my blog that says “villa am meer” to start from the beginning.)
On Sunday, Ross and I took our first daily amble down the beach. I was anxious to see “my house,” as well as the new concrete piers (groins) they installed last year, so I brought my camera along. We were a little bummed because we’d heard The Colony Resort had closed, so we were keeping an eye out for a new “margarita stop.” (If anyone knows of a place, please let us know.)
Here’s the view as we were just starting out. You can see the concrete groins up ahead. That’s where we’re headed. Villa Am Meer is the first property past those groins.
Here’s a Google map of where we’re headed. That’s Villa Am Meer at the bottom right of the map (the house closest to the beach with the long driveway off Gulf of Mexico Drive).
Once we reach the groins, you can see the tall palm trees on the property. That’s the Islander Club on the left. Notice how close to the water that resort is compared to the rest. That’s why they had to put the groins in… to prevent erosion of the beachfront. These days, new properties are required to be built much further back.
Ross decided to check out the new pier/groin…
Finally, we approach Villa Am Meer. Trying hard not to look like a creeper, I decide to take a few videos:
Later, on another walk, we noticed a young couple enjoying the beach, directly in front of Villa Am Meer. We introduced ourselves and learned they are now living on the property and maintaining it, though it is still owned by a separate company. They confirmed there are no plans to develop the property anytime soon. (Yay!)
So… all good news for Villa Am Meer at the moment! Later this week… an answer to the question, was Hermann Kohl or his company, Norda Essential Oils and Chemical Company, ever convicted of bootlegging? I’ve been to the National Archives in Chicago to find out.
Stay tuned!
Read MoreVilla Am Meer, Chapter 15
A few final thoughts…
New here? Start with Chapter 1…
I’ve been writing about Villa Am Meer for about seven months now. In that time, this beach house has become like an old friend to me. I’ve imagined what it would have been like to have stayed there, listening to the waves crash on the shore, sipping a cool glass of Chardonnay at sunset, and snuggling around the wood-burning fireplace after sundown. I’d like to imagine there were no TVs allowed here, and that guests were asked to leave their cell phones at the door. I imagine soft music playing, an acoustic guitar, and dancing on the rooftop patio under the moonlight.
I’ve been told of family Christmases at Villa Am Meer, with delicious Italian food and homemade ravioli. I’ve been told of summertime parties with friends, sangria, brie cheese and strawberries. And, I’ve been told of the “little house” – a one level, two bedroom guest house on the northeast corner of the property. It had a tiny fish pond in front of it, and a wrought iron bridge you had to cross in order to get to the front door. The “real magic” took place here, from what I’ve been told.
As one might imagine, the family is very private. I guess I would be too, especially if some crazy midwestern woman with no earthly connection to the house suddenly started blogging about it. But, I do hope to connect with them one day. I hope that by sharing the history of this house, I haven’t caused them any distress. That was never my intent. Those who know me would tell you I’m not that kind of person.
So then, what WAS my motivation for writing about this house? In the past seven months, I’ve been asked this over and over, and the answer is both simple and complicated.
I guess it all boils down to this… it got me writing again. I’ve always loved writing, and it seems to come naturally to me. However, a few years ago, I became hell-bent on writing something in order to get it published. I wrote a few children’s books, a middle-grade novel, a screenplay, and even a corporate gift book. Nothing was published. This didn’t surprise me; I knew the odds. But, I have to admit, it was hard on my ego. I wasn’t used to failure.
So, I quit writing. I decided if I couldn’t make my living as a writer, then what was the point. I went back to what I knew and saved myself the heartache.
For two years, I wrote nothing at all. I turned 40, took up snowboarding, and became obsessed with tracking down every branch of my family tree. When I ran out of branches on my own tree, I started tracking down my husband’s branches. Anything to keep from writing.
Then, last March, I was walking along the beach with my husband, on our way to The Colony to have a margarita. I spotted my favorite little beach house amidst a rumble of big rig construction. It appeared war-torn and vacant, and I was certain it was about to be torn down. I ran back to our condo and grabbed my camera, determined to preserve this little nugget of Longboat Key history. I knew nothing about the property or its owners, but for 15 years that little beach cottage had piqued my curiosity, and since it appeared to be on its final death throes, I decided to ask a few questions. And that’s how this whole journey started.
But, truthfully, why did I keep on? (And on, and on?)
Well, I guess because it just felt good. It felt good to be writing again, and I loved the instant feedback that blogging provided. People were commenting on my posts, adding to the story, encouraging me to go on. And so… go on I did.
There was also that moment, while I was on vacation in Montana, when I first learned of Elena’s death. The news hit me hard, and the synchronicity of that event seemed absolutely uncanny. At that point, the story seemed to take on new meaning… like it was bigger than me and just ached to be told. I can’t explain it really… it just seemed like continuing the story was the right thing to do.
One final thing.
On August 1, I began reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Ironically, I’d given this same book to an artist friend of mine a few years ago, never assuming it would ever apply to me. I was a writer after all, not an artist.
I was wrong.
The Artist’s Way has changed the way I look at the world. I’ve now realized that the reason I kept on writing about Villa Am Meer is because I was finally writing for the right reasons… not to gain fame, wealth, or success… but simply to enjoy the process. “Creativity is God’s gift to us,” Julia Cameron writes. “Using our creativity is our gift back to God.” The refusal to be creative is counter to our true nature.
I must admit, I’ve been lost for a while, manically trying to busy myself with other pastimes while my one true passion has been stuffed inside a storage locker made of gray matter. And now, I feel like Simba, staring into the water and hearing the reflection of Mufasa telling me, “You are more than what you’ve become, Simba.” Yes, Mufasa, you’re right. I am more than what I’ve become.
And so, starting January 1, my business partner and I have decided to take a two month sabbatical to “be still.” For twenty years, we’ve run a small ad agency together… a company we started just out of college. It’s been a crazy ride… turbulent, exhilarating, and often scary. But through it all, we’ve grown up together, raised our families, and remained best friends. And after twenty years, we’ve decided the best gift we could give each other is two months off. Imagine it… two months of peace and art. Groovy, baby.
I do hope to continue writing about Villa Am Meer, if any new information should trickle in. In the meantime, feel free to follow me on my journey. (UPDATE: Skip ahead to Chapter 16 to learn the outcome of Hermann Kohl’s and Norda, Inc.’s bootlegging trial… click here.)
Next time… a new story piques my interest…
Read MoreVilla Am Meer, Chapter 6
The Greatest Show on Earth
New here? Start with Chapter 1…
I’ve been thinking a lot about the Benedict family over the past week. I’ve wondered what memories the family shared together at Elena Duke Benedict’s funeral, and whether the topic of Villa Am Meer came up in any of their conversations. I imagine maybe it did, though in reading Ms. Benedict’s obituary, it seems her little seaside cottage on Longboat Key was just a small fragment of a much larger and more extraordinary life.
I’m really hoping to hear more from the Benedict family members soon. If they’re willing, my great hope is that I’ll be able to share some of their stories about life at Villa Am Meer, as well as some vintage family photos. But, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
In the meantime, there’s one little tidbit I learned a while back that sent me on another of my day-long research benders. I’d heard that Hermann and Hertha Kohl (the German couple who founded Norda, Inc. and took in Elena Duke Benedict as their legal ward) were contemporaries of the Ringling Brothers. I also learned through family lore that Villa Am Meer was designed by the same architect who’d designed the Ringling Museum in Sarasota.
*Sidebar*
Of course, anyone who knows Sarasota knows the Ringling connection. That’s because for 33 years, Sarasota was the winter headquarters of the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus.
The Ringling Brothers
In 1907, the Ringling Brothers Circus acquired the Barnum & Bailey Circus, yet the two operated as separate entities until they merged in 1919 and became the “Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus.” That same year, the Ringlings moved their winter headquarters from Baraboo, Wisconsin to Bridgeport, Connecticut.
In 1927, the Ringlings decided to move their winter quarters from Connecticut to Sarasota, Florida. Here’s some info I gleaned from SarasotaCircusHistory.com:
On March 23, 1927, prior to the circus’ opening in Madison Square Garden, John Ringling announced that Sarasota would become the new home of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The Greatest Show on Earth would move its winter quarters to 200 acres on the east side of town.
Winter quarters provided an annual respite for circus performers while giving management and the creative staff an opportunity to create and produce a new show for the following year.
John Ringling realized that the public had a great interest in a “behind-the-scenes” look at circus life, so he opened winter quarters on Christmas Day, 1927, and charged $.25 for adults and $.10 for children.
Ringling’s winter quarters boosted tourism for Sarasota, and reaped a great deal of publicity for the state of Florida. By 1940, the winter quarters in Sarasota drew 100,000 visitors in one season, making it one of Florida’s earliest and most heavily visited tourist attractions.
Brothers Charles and John Ringling decided to make Sarasota their permanent homes. Each built beautiful bayfront mansions in the 1920s.
Charles Ringling mansion. Brother John Ringling's mansion is just to the south (top of photo).
The estate was built in 1925-26 as the winter retreat for the Charles Ringling family in what was known as the Shell Beach subdivision, platted in 1896. The compound was designed to be completely self-sufficient, including staff quarters, farming and livestock. In addition to the main mansion, Charles built another gracious bayfront home for his daughter, Hester Ringling Sanford, and her children, now known as Cook Hall. The two bayfront homes are connected by a covered walkway that creates a transition between the two architectural styles. Within months of the completion of the construction, Charles died, but Edith Ringling and their daughter continued to reside on the estate for many decades. The structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [citation]
Charles Ringling was very influential on the design and architecture of downtown Sarasota. In fact, Ringling Boulevard, one of the main thoroughfares, is named after him.
View a video about Charles Ringling’s architectural contributions on Sarasota History Alive.
John Ringling's residence, Cà d'Zan
John Ringling was also an avid art collector, and in 1927, began work on a museum to house his extensive art collection.
In 1925, Ringling engaged architect John H. Phillips to design the museum. Construction began in 1927, but was slowed almost immediately by the collapse of Florida’s land boom and later, Wall Street’s stock market crash. Financial misfortune and Mable’s death in 1929 might have ended the dream, but John Ringling instead gained a new resolve to complete the museum, borrowing money as needed, knowing that it would perpetuate the memory of his beloved Mable. [citation]
John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
*End sidebar*
Phew. Long sidebar. Now, back to the tidbit about the architect of the museum… John H. Phillips. If family lore holds true, he is the same architect who designed Villa Am Meer. Why is this significant? Because John H. Phillips was a rock star among the architects of his day.
Here’s a wonderful interview I found on John H. Phillips, dated August 7, 1949, in the Sarasota Herald Tribune. My favorite part is Mr. Phillips’ description of Mabel Ringling, who wore leather hip boots and carried a pistol, just in case she came across any rattlesnakes or alligators while she was overseeing his work on the museum.
John H. Phillips interview, August 7, 1949, Sarasota Herald Tribune
One final, crazy thing. When I started this blog, I mentioned that my family has been visiting Longboat Key for 15 years. Of course, I knew about Sarasota being the winter quarters of the Ringling Brothers Circus. I’ve also travelled along Ringling Boulevard, driven over the John Ringling Causeway Bridge and admired the Ringling statues on St. Armand’s Circle for what seems a million times. However, in all those years, I can’t believe I’ve never visited these amazing properties, nor toured the famous Ringling Art Museum.
Next year, you can bet I will.
Read MoreVilla Am Meer, Chapter 3
Benedict family sells estate in a profitable flip
New here? Start with Chapter 1…
After discovering the August 14, 2006 newspaper article in the Sarasota Herald Tribune (see Chapter 2), I felt I was finally getting somewhere. The article mentioned that a man named Dr. Kohl, an investor in Tropicana, had originally built the house in 1935. His daughter, Elena Kohl, married into the Benedict family, and that’s how the home came to be known as the Benedict Estate.
I tried Googling “Elena Kohl Benedict,” but that got me nowhere. So, I tried just “Elena Benedict” and found this story from the August 1, 2006 issue of the Sarasota Herald Tribune. It was printed two weeks prior to the earlier article I had found:
——
Longboat Key estate sold for $18 million
Tampa-based developers plan to build 30 townhomes on the Benedict property.
By Stephen Frater, Sarasota Herald Tribune
August 1, 2006 – The posh estate of a former flavor and fragrance magnate — and one of the last largely undeveloped bastions on Longboat Key — has been sold to a Tampa developer for $18 million. The 5.2-acre Benedict property, once owned by the chairman of Norda, has been sold to Jason Woods, president of Statewide Associates, and his father, Arthur. The property has 350 feet of beach along the Gulf of Mexico.
Jason Woods, president of Statewide Associates, and his father, Arthur, plan to turn the 5.2 acres and 350 feet of beach fronting the Gulf of Mexico into a luxury gated community with 30 or so townhomes in several four-story buildings.
The property, with a long driveway spiking out from Gulf of Mexico Drive between the Villa di Lancia and the Islander Club to a 2,300-square-foot home and carriage house, had long been sought after by developers.
The estate at 2251 Gulf of Mexico Drive on the southern half of the barrier island is one of the last of the founding Longboat family estates to be developed.
The Benedict family had earlier sold off numerous acres to the south of the site — the source of the Villa di Lancia condo development’s name.
The $18 million works out to nearly $3.5 million per acre, or, considering that the zoning allows for up to 30 units, about $600,000 per unit.
The new development is to going to be the plural version of the Benedicts’ home, “Villas Am Meer.”
The deal is “great news as far as Longboat Key values are concerned,” said Debra Pitell, a longtime Michael Saunders & Co. real estate agent and a Longboat Key residential property specialist.
Re/Max Properties’ Marc Rasmussen agreed, noting that that there are 15 units pending for sale at $2.5 million or more on Longboat Key.
Although pricey, the deal is not the most ever paid on Longboat Key on a per-unit basis, Jason Woods said.
That distinction belongs to Positano and The Orchid, he said, referring to two other high-end Longboat Key multi-unit developments.
Positano’s cost averaged out at $720,000 for each of its 29 units while each of The Orchid Condominiums works out to $950,000. But on a per-acre basis, the Benedict property is the second-most expensive costing $3.46 million. The Orchid and Positano are $3.5 million and $2.1 million per acre, respectively.
With some of the property sold off before, only the home and carriage house remain on the property formerly owned by Edward E. Benedict, who was chairman of Norda Inc., a privately-owned flavor and fragrance company acquired by Unilever United States in 1985.
Benedict was 78 when he died in 1989 in Manhattan. The Boston native spent his entire career with Norda, becoming chairman in 1971, a post he retained until he retired in 1980.
A 1939 New York University graduate, Benedict was known in New York society circles as a breeder and owner of thoroughbreds and was the founding president of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association.
Benedict and his wife, Elena Duke, had six daughters: Browne and Patricia Benedict, both of Greenwich, Conn.; Diane Benedict, of Elbert, Colo.; Elena Benedict-Smith of Longboat Key; Celeste Pinelli of Manhattan; and Verna Neilson of Kinderhook, N.Y.
Browne’s deal for the family estate was a “direct buyer-seller transaction” — meaning no real estate agents were involved, said Woods, adding that he had known Browne, for “some time.”
Woods said that he and his father have completed about $100 million in developments during the past decade, including hospitality, retail and interior renovations for the St. Petersburg Times Forum in Tampa. The projects included Forum’s XO Club I, the XO Club II and the Budweiser Terrace.
Their Statewide Associates also has been involved with stadium-renovation construction projects, including work for the Florida Panthers, New York Yankees and Denver Broncos.
On the residential side, Statewide is selling units in a Tampa development called Brownstones of Soho.
The Woods have retained Michael Saunders & Co. as the exclusive listing agent for the town houses to be built at Villas Am Meer. They expect prices to range from $2.5 million to $4 million each.
Under that scenario, construction would start next summer with a two-year completion schedule, meaning it would be 2009 before buyers moved in, assuming everything goes as planned.
The property is limited by zoning to 6 units per acre so there will likely be as many as five four-story buildings on the property.
Stateside is meeting with Longboat Key town development officials next month to present preliminary elevations and design concepts.
Each building will have rooftop patios in a resort-style community. Woods says there will also be a communal “lagoon pool” on-site.
A remnant of the original Villa Am Meer will remain: The Benedict house, which stands on the property nearest the beach, will be renovated as a community clubhouse.
——
Ah, relief. Even though my house had been sold, the new owners planned on renovating it to be used as a clubhouse for the new development. Good news, but I still wanted to track down the members of the Benedict family to find out more about the history of the house, who built it, and what it was like to grow up on Longboat Key before the condos took over. I decided to keep digging.
And more good news… I was back on familiar territory. I had names. And with names, I could fire up the old genealogy engine. Ah, yes… familiar territory indeed. I poured myself a glass of wine, logged on to Ancestry.com and got straight to work.
Next time:
Condo project is a no-go, the history of Norda, Inc., and who the heck is Elena Amaducci?
Read MoreAbout Me
Join me in my sporadic ramblings as I embrace the curious life. Wife of a turkey farmer. Mother of two teenage boys. Avid ponderer. Treasure seeker. Curator of the written word. I enjoy sparking interest in the mundane and uncovering a compelling backstory.
