26-acre estate, in Townshend hands since 1797
A lifelong East Shore resident and former alder has succeeded in his quest to save the Raynham Estate — after closing on the 26.25-acre former Townshend family home and its surrounding properties for $2.6 million.
According to the city land records database, on Sept. 21, East Shore Partners LLC purchased the historic East Shore estate at 701, 709, 725, and 745 Townsend Ave. from Timothy Townshend.
The transactions took place across two separate deals: the mansion at 709 Townsend sold for $1.2 million, and the surrounding open land at 701, 725, and 745 Townsend sold for $1.4 million.
Melissa Bailey File Photo
Morris Cove’s Mascola: The late Henry Townshend wanted land preserved.
The new owner is a holding company controlled by local history buff and former Alder Charles Mascola, who runs a marketing company, as well as by Marcella Mascola and Salvatore Marottoli.
“I am over the moon. We are so excited that we were able to acquire this property,” Mascola told the Independent on Thursday. “It took a significant effort and a lot of discussions between us and the family. We believe that we are going to be doing some really great things with the property.”
While Mascola doesn’t know yet exactly what the future of the former Townshend estate will hold, he said he is committed to at least three goals now that he is the owner:
1. Retain the mansion at the center of the property.
2. Do everything he can to retain all of the property’s original buildings, including some old barns and out-buildings that are in pretty rough shape.
3. Preserve as much of the “main core” of the property as he can, including all of the specimen trees, some of which are over 200 years old.
“Our goal is to retain that core property and bring it back to a glory that it has not seen in a 100 years or more,” he said.
He said he also expects to build some new homes on the outskirts of the expansive property.
Whether the core of the property becomes an AirBnB or an inn or something else entirely is still up for consideration, he said. He said he has been meeting with neighbors in the East Shore for months, and plans to do so throughout the winter, to hear feedback and solicit ideas on what the historic estate can and should be.
“We do know that the property will be accessible” to the public, he said. He said he hopes to have a plan in place for the property by next spring.
The Townshend family — which has owned the property since 1797 and which constructed the main six-bedroom, two-and-a-half story Colonial home in 1804—put the property up for sale earlier this summer. Mascola, a lifelong East Shore resident, stepped up to save the property from “an irresponsible and insensitive development” that would “destroy” the property. He said the late Henry Townsend had wanted the property to serve a historic purpose.
Mandy Spends $1.4M Buying 12 More Apts
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46 Warren St.
In other recent local property transactions, affiliates of the local megalandlord Mandy Management spent $1.415 million for three different residential buildings containing 12 apartments. Those deals included:
• On Sept. 13, 46 Warren LLC purchased the four-family home at 46 Warren St. for $575,000 from Weeks Properties LLC. The city last appraised it as worth $348,100.
• On Sept. 13, ABCD Investments DE LLC purchased the five-unit apartment house at 275 Sherman Ave. from 275 Sherman Avenue Associates LLC for $525,000. The city last appraised it as worth $258,100.
• On Sept. 13, ABCD Investments DE LLC purchased the three-family house at 504 Winthrop Ave. from Alfreda Piggott for $315,000. The city last appraised it as worth $184,500.
And on Sept. 2, 50 Fitch LLC — a holding company controlled by local landlords Mendy Paris and Sim Levenhartz — bought the three-family house at 75 Willis St. from Camille Smith for $295,000. On Sept. 14, the local landlord duo flipped that Willis Street property to NEI Properties LLC — a holding company controlled by Arie Yehonatan Richenberg — for $375,000. The city last appraised the three-family home as worth $150,800.
Click here for a story about the recent double flip of a Liberty Street house. See below for a full list of recent property transactions above.
New Haven land records database
Recent local property transactions.
While building homes on the outskirts of the Townsend property makes sense, it may not be easy. I believe that (1) much of the property is a single parcel and (2) unlike most towns, New Haven does not have a subdivision regulation.