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Buyers of MacKenzie-Childs property 'just like other folks in the area'
Aerial view of the MacKenzie-Childs Estate, overlooking the Lake. (Entrance on Route 90).
The 43-acre King Ferry property that Victoria MacKenzie and Richard Childs owned since 1983 (it was formerly "Brown's house down the lane") has been sold via Sotheby
Buyers of MacKenzie-Childs property 'just like other folks in the area
The original King Ferry home of the original founders of the international company MacKenzie-Childs has been sold.
The buyers are Chet Manchester and his wife, Anne Sutherland Early.
Manchester is a former president of the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston — the Mother Church and administrative headquarters of the Church of Christ, Scientist.
He currently works as a Christian Science lecturer and practitioner, and continues to do some work with the Boston church.
His work, however, played no part in the home purchase, Manchester said.
Manchester mentions reopening the property's former Home Again Bed and Breakfast and Boutique as a possibility down the road.
But for now, Manchester and Sutherland Early just want to enjoy the quiet.
"We're just coming in to be part of the community and contribute to it, just like other folks in the area," he said. "I grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, and this feels like home to me."
Victoria MacKenzie and Richard Childs began their ceramic business on the property in 1983.
The business eventually opened a new headquarters at a former dairy farm up the road in AURORA, and the couple sold the business to Pleasant Rowland.
Pleasant Rowland later sold MacKenzie-Childs to an investment company.
The No. 1671 Route 90 estate in King Ferry includes
the MacKenzie-Childs' 4,280-square-foot private residence
an original artist studio
a 2,300-square-foot three-story carriage house with servant’s quarters
a former retail gift shop and
the 43-acre grounds overlooking Cayuga Lake.
Manchester and Sutherland Early were among 109 showings given by the property's listing agent.
All had to pre-qualify to prove they could afford it.
Among the other interested parties were a celebrity in the film industry, DeRosa said, whose original offer was close to the property's $1.1 million asking price. DeRosa couldn't disclose the celebrity's name due to a confidentiality agreement.
So many were interested in the property in part because it was featured in national publications like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and MSNBC.
"It was by far one of the most interesting properties that I've worked on because of all the national news we were getting featured in," DeRosa said.
"People were coming from all over."
Manchester entered the picture March 29, and wound up renting the property for the month of August.
He and Sutherland Early made a purchase offer in October and finalized it in November.
Between those stages of the sale, a buyer from the Middle East made an offer for more than the original asking price.
But DeRosa and the MacKenzie-Childs chose to honor the agreement they made with Manchester and Sutherland Early.
However, Manchester and Sutherland Early's purchase did not include the MacKenzie-Childs' decor contents, DeRosa said.
The collection of original art will be sold at a later date.
The buyers are Chet Manchester and his wife, Anne Sutherland Early.
Manchester is a former president of the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston — the Mother Church and administrative headquarters of the Church of Christ, Scientist.
He currently works as a Christian Science lecturer and practitioner, and continues to do some work with the Boston church.
His work, however, played no part in the home purchase, Manchester said.
Manchester mentions reopening the property's former Home Again Bed and Breakfast and Boutique as a possibility down the road.
But for now, Manchester and Sutherland Early just want to enjoy the quiet.
"We're just coming in to be part of the community and contribute to it, just like other folks in the area," he said. "I grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, and this feels like home to me."
Victoria MacKenzie and Richard Childs began their ceramic business on the property in 1983.
The business eventually opened a new headquarters at a former dairy farm up the road in AURORA, and the couple sold the business to Pleasant Rowland.
Pleasant Rowland later sold MacKenzie-Childs to an investment company.
The No. 1671 Route 90 estate in King Ferry includes
the MacKenzie-Childs' 4,280-square-foot private residence
an original artist studio
a 2,300-square-foot three-story carriage house with servant’s quarters
a former retail gift shop and
the 43-acre grounds overlooking Cayuga Lake.
Manchester and Sutherland Early were among 109 showings given by the property's listing agent.
All had to pre-qualify to prove they could afford it.
Among the other interested parties were a celebrity in the film industry, DeRosa said, whose original offer was close to the property's $1.1 million asking price. DeRosa couldn't disclose the celebrity's name due to a confidentiality agreement.
So many were interested in the property in part because it was featured in national publications like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and MSNBC.
"It was by far one of the most interesting properties that I've worked on because of all the national news we were getting featured in," DeRosa said.
"People were coming from all over."
Manchester entered the picture March 29, and wound up renting the property for the month of August.
He and Sutherland Early made a purchase offer in October and finalized it in November.
Between those stages of the sale, a buyer from the Middle East made an offer for more than the original asking price.
But DeRosa and the MacKenzie-Childs chose to honor the agreement they made with Manchester and Sutherland Early.
However, Manchester and Sutherland Early's purchase did not include the MacKenzie-Childs' decor contents, DeRosa said.
The collection of original art will be sold at a later date.
Of course, because the sale is to a "church", it's no doubt that this impressive and taxable property will no doubt be completely of the tax rolls for that town.