On the Market at the Shore: Early-1900s Beach Block House in Ventnor
This house has all the modern features you expect, added in a way that remains true to its early-20th-century character.
Want a spacious Shore house with classic Shore style, all the modern conveniences and enough room to throw a party for all your friends and relatives, not to mention let a bunch of them sleep over? This recently renovated St. Leonard’s Tract house at 101 S. Dorset Ave., Ventnor, NJ 08406 is the house you’ve been looking for. | Images via Soleil Sotheby’s International Realty (including this image) and *South Jersey Shore Regional MLS
For some reason, many house listings at the Jersey Shore don’t include square footage information on their property data sheets.
After you see the pictures of this updated Ventnor beach block house for sale in St. Leonard’s Tract, though, you probably won’t need them, for they make it plenty clear that this is one big, beautiful house.
And it sits on a big, beautiful corner lot: 90 feet along Dorset Avenue and 125 feet along Atlantic Avenue — 11,250 square feet, or a little more than a quarter-acre in all, and all of it beautifully manicured.
A total makeover in 2020 brought this turn-of-the-20th-century beauty into the here and now while respecting its traditional Shore character.
Foyer
You enter the house from Dorset, along its narrow side. The main staircase in its foyer features handsome leaded-glass windows.
Living room
And the foyer connects to all of the main rooms on the main floor. To its right, the living room features a large bay window overlooking the side yard and a fireplace between French doors that lead to a sunroom.
Front sunroom
The front sunroom’s many windows flood both it and the living room with natural light, especially in the afternoon.
Dining room
Behind the living room, the dining room also has a large bay window that fills it with light coming in through the side yard. As you see here, it currently has two tables that seat eight, but you could replace it with a single, longer table that could accommodate more people — and you might want to do so if you plan to have people in all six bedrooms at once. A second sunroom lies beyond the dining room.
Kitchen and butler’s pantry
And next to the dining room and in back of the foyer, you will find a butler’s pantry, kitchen and breakfast nook. The kitchen and butler’s pantry are outfitted to satisfy a pro and feed a horde. They contain a commercial-grade gas range, two dishwashers, an island with bar seating, a wet bar and two wine fridges that hold 250 bottles altogether.
Breakfast nook
The breakfast nook sits next to the back door and has large windows like the sun porch.
Rear deck
Just outside it is a sizable deck connected to a gazebo.
Primary bedroom
The second floor contains three en-suite bedrooms. The primary one has its own private balcony.
Primary suite balcony
The balcony, covered by an awning, features a great view of the beach at the end of the block.
Primary bathroom*
All of the bathrooms have been upgraded with full tile showers, and most of them have dual vanities like the primary bathroom. And all of them respect the house’s turn-of-the-century character, though the primary one looks a touch more contemporary.
Two more bedrooms and three (!) bathrooms are located on the third floor. (Clearly, no one staying here should have to fight for a bathroom.)
The basement has been turned into a guest suite with its own living room, bedroom and full bathroom.
Side yard*
The manicured side yard, lined with birch trees and flowering shrubs, can easily host a large gathering. And it has enough room to add a pool, if you’d like.
St. Leonard’s Tract, where you will find this Ventnor beach block house for sale, is the most prestigious part of Ventnor. It’s also equally convenient to Atlantic City’s casinos and nightlife and Margate’s historic attractions. (You have to go through one of these communities to get here as well, for Ventnor itself has no causeway leading to the mainland.)
Clearly, you will find few Shore houses that match this one in its combination of traditional Jersey Shore charm and modern amenities. Especially houses that can handle a large extended family or a passel of friends. Add convenience to the beach, and the list of possibilities probably narrows to just this one.
THE FINE PRINT
BEDS: 6
BATHS: 6 full, 2 half
SQUARE FEET: Not available
SALE PRICE: $2,950,000
101 S. Dorset Ave., Ventnor, NJ 08406 [Ashley Franchini | Soleil Sotheby’s International Realty]
