VILLAGE OF FAYETTEVILLE – “Exquisite,” “gorgeous” and “pristine” are just a few of the words used to describe the Fairfield Estate, the recognizable 19th century mansion in Fayetteville now up for auction.
Variably referred to as Georgian and Victorian in style, the 12,500-square-foot home situated on 4.5 acres is located at 7078 E. Genesee St., an address adjacent to the Lyndon Golf Course and across the street from Onondaga Golf & Country Club.
The property includes an ornate fountain out front and a swimming pool in the back along with meticulous gardens containing blooming roses. The pool area is surrounded by an entertainment space befitting events like charity balls.
Representing real estate broker and auctioneer Michael DeRosa said the mansion is move-in ready and “sparkling with brilliance,” calling its exterior “impeccably painted.”
“The Fairfield Estate is a property of significance with important architecture and craftsmanship that we just do not see today,” said DeRosa, whose licensed real estate brokerage firm is Michael DeRosa Exchange. “From the moment you enter the estate, you notice a beauty and refinement that is truly rare and indescribable.”
He said the residence has been “extremely well-maintained” with several upgrades and additions over the years, including a $2 million restoration to preserve the architectural integrity that was commenced in the mid-1990s and completed in 2005. The Fayetteville mansion was later purchased by current owners Paul and Daynia Dodd on Oct. 22, 2007.
The estimated cost of replacement is in excess of $12 million, and bidding is required to begin at the property’s assessed value of $1,730,400. Though calculated at $1,000 per square foot, DeRosa said the estate is, however, “irreplaceable.”
Aspiring buyers can bid online from anywhere in the world at TheFairfieldEstate.com. Bids will be accepted until Sunday, Dec. 4 at 4 p.m. Eastern time.
A portion of the house sale’s net proceeds will be donated back into the Central New York community. The new homeowner who steps forward will be able to choose from one of three pre-selected charitable options: the Carrie Lazarus Fund for Extraordinary Talent, Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, or a Cornell University scholarship.
The Fairfield Estate was built between 1864 and 1875 by Nathaniel Gillett, a local business investor and gentleman farmer who intended to raise vineyards, grow hops and breed horses on the land.
In 1900 the estate was purchased by Andrew Strong White, a New York City native turned prominent Syracuse attorney.
His uncle, Andrew Dickson, was co-founder and first president of Cornell University, and at one point in time, the country home was left to that Ivy League institution.
While Andrew Strong White lived at the Fairfield Estate with his wife, an operatic concert singer by the name of Claire Alcee, they frequently welcomed in United States president and close friend Theodore Roosevelt for visits.
The couple would end up filling the house with paintings, statues, hunting trophies and other treasures. The Whites also maintained a Ritz-Carlton residence in Paris and a private residence condo at The Plaza Hotel in New York City.
The house contains one of only two residential libraries personally designed by nationally renowned furniture manufacturer Gustav Stickley, and within that space is a Leopold Chair.
“The Fairfield Estate has been a place for entertainment, culture, arts and joy, and someone absolutely has to have it,” DeRosa said.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony with a Guilded Age theme took place on Saturday, Oct. 15 to commemorate the Fairfield Estate’s historical value and mark the kickoff of the worldwide real estate auction.
