PONCE INLET — The house at 4856 Sailfish Drive was described as “unique” when it was built 54 years ago — and that's still the case even today.
Ryan Adams of Adams, Cameron & Co., Realtors said the house’s one-of-a-kind design makes it stand out from his approximately 40 other listings.
“The architecture is over the top,” the property's listing agent said. “I’ve never seen anything like it and probably never will see anything like it.”
The wavy rooftop is the attention grabber. It peaks at the center, slopes down at the sides and rises back up at the edges. The ceiling is all tung-in-groove wood and is supported by curved beams, which consist of small strips of wood.
The outside is visible from every point inside the house, made possible by glass panels that top each of the house’s wooden walls. It creates a bright, airy atmosphere, with natural light filling the entire house during the day. The glass panels separating each room allow light to pass through, but not sound, Adams said.
The house drew so much attention when it was built, in 1964, the Daytona Beach News-Journal ran a story about it on the front page of its real estate section.
“From the day the first steel supporting columns rose from the sandy shoreline at Ponce Park, the place has attracted curious stares from the occupants of every passing boat. And when the roof went on, it became a topic of conversation from the Inlet to Ormond Beach,” the story reads.
According to the story, the roof represents the rising and falling swells of the ocean. Everything was specially made or ordered, including the coral-cut stone for the fireplaces, which was delivered from Miami, according to the story.
The story says it cost $82,000 at the time to build the house and garage — which equates to roughly $659,000 today. The roof itself cost about $10,000, the story says, which would be about $80,000 today.
Adams called the architectural style contemporary “of some sort,” but wasn’t able to give it a particular name.
“It’s so unique, between the land mass and the house itself,” Adams said. “I would love to see it restored.”
The house is almost completely original, Adams said. The wood used for the ceiling is original, as are the Brazilian rosewood panels on the walls. The home has terrazzo flooring, which Adams said was pricey, yet popular at the time. The kitchen retains its original design, and the bathrooms are all vintage.
Much of the nearly five-acre property is untouched, natural wilderness. Accessible from a quiet dirt road, the property is secluded “in its own little world,” Adams said. It stretches from Peninsula Avenue to the Intracoastal Waterway and, in addition to the house, it includes a detached garage, private boat slip and canal, walking trails and a freshwater pond. Adams noted that the boat slip would most likely need to be renovated.
The house is located around the corner from Ponce Inlet, a short boat ride away. Adams said that at low tide, “disappearing islands” emerge in the waterway in front of the house, and boaters frequently stop there in the summertime. The spot has been dubbed the “family islands,” where boaters park when spots fill up at the main “islands.”
Adams said that because of the “curve of the land” to the north, with its mangroves and marshes, there are not many homes on the Intracoastal waterfront in Ponce Inlet.
“When you look at Ponce Inlet homes on the Intracoastal, there are really only a couple dozen options,” Adams said. “From a supply and demand viewpoint, this is a very rare opportunity.”
The property was only sold once in its 54 years. The original owner, Michael Blais, a doctor, sold it to the late “Mr. James,” Adams said, who passed it on to his children.
Blais’ brother was the house’s architect, and he also designed several Volusia County schools, Adams said. He said some of the house’s features, particularly the elongated bricks and the windows’ aluminum siding, reflect that “commercial” style.
VITAL STATISTICS
House size: 3,520 square feet of living space (3,933 square feet overall)
Number of bedrooms: 4
Number of bathrooms: 4
Year built: 1964
Lot size: 4.9 acres
GROUND FLOOR
Entry: The front door opens up to the back of the fireplace, made of coral-cut stone. Hallways at either side of the foyer lead to bedrooms 2 and 3 on one side and bedroom 4 on the other.
Flooring: Carpet, terrazzo, tile
Air-conditioning: Central
Roof: Tar and gravel
Living room: Located at the center of the home, the massive living room offers views of the Intracoastal Waterway beneath the original tung-in-groove arched ceiling. The coral-cut stone, wood-burning fireplace is the centerpiece, and the room is flanked by Brazilian ________ rosewood veneer sheets on the walls.
Family room: The family room features a coral-cut stone, wood burning fireplace with waterfront views. It is located on the southwest corner of the home, between the Florida room and the kitchen.
Master bedroom: Located at the northwest corner of the home, the master suite has floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the Intracoastal Waterway and has access to the Florida room. It includes a makeup nook, an original, all-wood walk-in closet and a vintage master bath with dual vanities.
Bedrooms 2 and 3: Bedrooms 2 and 3 are nearly identical, with twin bathrooms and closets.
Bedroom 4: With direct access to the front yard, this bedroom could also function as an office. It includes its own bathroom and closet.
Florida room: The Florida room is located at the center of the western end of the home and is accessible from the living room, master suite and family room, and it leads to the backyard. It features terrazzo floors and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Kitchen: The kitchen is located between the family room and laundry room. It includes granite countertops, working appliances and a pantry, but Adams said it would most likely need to be updated.
Backyard decks/porches: The backyard is spacious and borders the Intracoastal Waterway.
Garage: Detached garage backs up to the private canal and is able to accommodate four vehicles.
Other features: A laundry room is located next to the kitchen. The hallways flanking the living room feature bonus closets and built-in shelving.
LISTED ASKING PRICE: $2.8 million
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call Ryan Adams at 386-212-5315.
On The Market features one-of-a-kind custom homes for sale in the Volusia-Flagler area. Realtors and brokers are invited to email suggestions to clayton.park@news-jrnl.com.