For those seeking the chance to own a local getaway paradise, there’s a rare and exclusive opportunity to purchase a home in the secluded Fire Island community of Water Island. It boasts unparalleled 360 views of the Ocean and Great South Bay and the fascinating pedigree of having been owned, designed, and curated by two separate, iconic American tastemakers: the late fashion designer Perry Ellis and architect Alan Wanzenberg.
Water Island is a small hamlet of just 50 homes, readily accessible only by boat. Even then, there are only eight public ferries a week at the height of the summer season. But its seclusion is its strength. Tranquil living without a tourist-filled commercial makes Water Island an idyllic respite from city living.
This vibe is magnified at the property located at One Atlantic Ocean Walk. This four-bedroom, two-bath beach home, perched high on the dunes, is surrounded on both sides by vast stretches of protected National Seashore. That means there are no immediate neighbors, nor the chance anything else will ever be built near it. It gives one the appealing illusion of being on a private island. Listed at $2.5M, the house has personality. Even with high-end details, it maintains a Beach House vibe, where simplicity meets comfort and elegance. Exposed beam ceilings accent large double windows, giving panoramic views from every room. Truly inviting is the spacious second-floor deck with a central hammock, offering a front-row seat to passing whales and dolphins.
Because of the location, real estate in Water Island is a niche market and can be tricky; homes there can take up to two years to sell. Enter the team of salesperson Nathaniel Larson and associate broker Meg Smith at Daniel Gale / Sotheby’s International Realty. Earlier this year, they sold their first Water Island listing, an unusual three-home compound, for a “record-breaking number on a record-breaking timeline.”
Smith brings a wealth of experience. Originally from Wisconsin, she moved to Long Island in 1984. With 33 years in real estate, she started her brokerage, Meg Smith & Associates, in 2010, later selling it to Gale in 2022 and staying on with the company.
Larson is a third-generation Fire Island native. His family ties three generations. His parents have been realtors since 1978. Raised in Saltaire, Nate attended the Fire Island School in Ocean Beach. He previously worked rentals for his parent’s real estate company but joined Gale as a salesperson in 2017.
Meg and Nate have now listed One Atlantic Ocean Walk and bring a terrific synergy, combining a veteran player with a local native. Larson can also captain a boat, a real ace in his hand for this listing, which boasts a 200-foot private dock on the Bay.
Initially built as a two-home property by Perry Ellis, who first owned a home in Fire Island Pines but soon opted for the quiet of Water Island. Ellis would use the idyllic location as a site to bring models for fashion shoots.
He eventually sold the two homes to architect Alan Wanzenberg, an American Arts & Crafts movement leader, and his partner, the late interior designer Jed Johnson. They were in Andy Warhol’s inner circle and boasted hosts of A-list clients. They would redesign and transform the Water Island houses into the exquisite beach homes they are today. They would be featured as cover stories in publications like Elle Décor and World of Interiors and profiled in New Seaside Interiors.
The cozy living room, centered around a warm fireplace featuring Swedish antiques and French wood chairs against a floor-to-ceiling whitewashed cedar backdrop, is fresh yet improbably identical to the magazine photos from the early 2000s.
Both homes were eventually sold to two separate owners. The larger house on the higher elevation is the one up for sale and is currently home to Barry Martin, owner of an international fish distribution company. As an avid fisherman, he added nautical details to the property, including an evocative wall of fishing poles.
Meg points out that roughly half of the community have had their homes in their families for generations. But the other half are people looking to get away from Manhattan. In this author’s short visit, you can feel that Water Island is a Way of Life, with its untouched natural beauty, solitude, and serenity. It’s a rare opportunity for someone looking to unplug.
