The Hamptons’ Massive Sandcastle Estate Has Finally Sold

For a certain set in the Hamptons, more is more. And nowhere better is this exemplified than in Sandcastle, the huge and hugely pricey Bridgehampton mansion built by local developer Joe Farrell for his own family.

Jam-packed with nearly every conceivable luxury amenity, both inside and out, the 11.5-acre spread was originally put up for sale more than a decade ago and at one point the asking price soared to almost $60 million. However, when it was last listed on the open market it carried a greatly discounted and more realistic price of just under $35 million. The deal was handled by Tal Alexander and Sara Goldfarb of Douglas Elliman Real Estate. Tax records don’t yet reflect a change of ownership but Goldfarb announced the sale on Instagram yesterday and word on the local real estate street is the property went for $31 million to an as-yet-unidentified Florida billionaire. 

Ever since it was completed in 2009, Sandcastle has been on and off both the sales and high-end rental markets. And considering the kinds of numbers we’re talking about — $300K for a week’s rent! — who can blame the Farrells for moving out for a bit while Sandcastle played host to big-spending celebrities such as Jay-Z and Beyoncé, who rented the place for a month in 2012, as well as Justin Bieber, Madonna and Donald Trump. The stars of “The Real Housewives of New York City” filmed at the house during their most recent season and last year the estate was rented for the summer season for close to $2 million. (Though now divorced, Farrell and his family certainly had other places to shack up while renting out Sandcastle; He also owns an oceanfront surf shack in Montauk he calls Surfcastle, as well as a ski place in Vermont that is, inevitably, called Snowcastle.)

Unlike many of the most coveted and expensive Hamptons properties, Sandcastle isn’t waterfront. Back in 2009, Joe said, “I don’t like the ocean because I live here all year. The wind on the beach is bad in the winter.” He makes a good point about that, because the winter wind can indeed be bone freezing, but what Sandcastle lacks in waterfront prestige, it makes up for in, well, everything else. You name it — Sandcastle has it.

Like to play sports? Sandcastle not only has a tennis court but its own full-size baseball diamond! There’s also a 60-foot heated pool with an underwater stereo system and a pool house that, at 4,000 square feet, is far bigger than most folks’ homes. If it’s raining or too humid for the tennis court, play indoors on the racquetball/squash/basketball court or work out in the home gym. There’s also a two-lane bowling alley, a golf simulator, a rock-climbing wall and an indoor half-pipe for the skateboarding young’uns.

Wanna party? Invite friends over for drinks at the full bar before heading on to the house’s disco area, and then later on curl up with a movie in the home theater. Want to put your guests up for the night? With a dozen bedrooms and a dozen bathrooms plus a handful of powder rooms, the roughly 17,000-square-foot mansion has plenty of room. Still, if that’s not enough, the giant pool house, which sorts a massive spa and bar area, can easily house the overflow.

Need to relax? In 2017, Farrell said, “When I was in 10th grade, there was this kid I was friends with, and he had this really cool dad who owned 30 Burger Kings. When the parents were away, we used to go to the house, and they had a room off their bedroom that had an in-ground Jacuzzi with a fireplace. It blew my mind. Coming from a normal, middle-class house, I just thought, Oh my God! And I was just realizing that we have that setup here.” The Farrells’ spa area also sports a steam room and sauna.

We’re pretty sure the children and grandchildren of the spendy Florida billionaire are going to have a blast next summer. Or maybe they’ll just rent it out to some A-lister celeb or hedge fund fat cat with a small fortune to burn on a short-term rental.