Christie Brinkley has to live with the “Uptown Girl” moniker bestowed upon her by her ex, Billy Joel. Everyone assumes the nickname is a Manhattan-centric euphemism the Piano Man used to point out the difference between Brinkley’s high-society station dating back to her early modeling career and his own everyman Nassau County upbringing. But Brinkley didn’t just best Joel in NYC. She did it on Long Island, too. While Joel hails from Hicksville, Brinkley has made a splash in East End real estate over the past few decades, collecting a series of trophy properties in and around Sag Harbor.
Now Brinkley is looking to sell another one of her Bridgehampton properties: Tower Hill. The 20-acre compound is listed for $29.5 million.
Brinkley has owned this historic compound for almost 20 years, but has told various media outlets that with her son headed off to college, she is en route to being an empty nester. It’s not the first time the property has been on the market. During her high-profile divorce from developer Peter Cook, the property had been listed for $30 million.
Tower Hill contains three combined lots with views of the Atlantic Ocean to the south and the Connecticut shores to the north. And even in a part of the world where the rich and powerful have created mega-mansions on former farmland, Tower Hill is uniquely impressive.
It was developed in 1891 by Dr. John Gardiner, whose prominence also led to a Hampton bay being named after him. Brinkley, with Cook, restored the property, which includes a 4-bedroom, 5-bath main house — complete with a 50-foot tower — and a 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath guest house with a greenhouse conservatory. There’s also a separate barn/artist studio with living quarters and a 4-car heated garage.
There’s a country kitchen in the main house, along with a double-height great room, living and family rooms, 3 fireplaces, gym and office.
The grounds are nothing short of stunning: A wisteria-covered pergola, multi-level stone terraces, meandering lawns, old-growth trees, walking paths through hilly terrain, private pond, tennis court, and a heated Gunite pool with spa.
Brinkley may finally be ready to part with this majestic property, but she’s got plenty of good options. She is headed for another waterfront property she owns in Sag Harbor. And with less acreage to deal with and both her kids out of the house, the 62-year-old former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model will have more time and freedom to hook up with her new beau: John Mellencamp. The couple has been dating since 2015, despite his primary residence in South Carolina and her digs in Manhattan.
