Manalapan’s Gemini Estate: The Best of Both Worlds
This spectacular Florida home sits within a lush tropical compound that enjoys a truly unique bicoastal location. Luxury Defined finds out what makes it so special
The word “unique” is all too often misapplied, but in the case of Gemini, a magnificent coastal estate on Manalapan’s barrier island in south Florida, it could not be more appropriate. More than 15 acres of abundant tropical gardens flourish between two dramatically different coastlines – the dune-fringed, crystal-clear waters of the Atlantic Ocean on one side, and the calm, cruise-friendly depths of the Intracoastal Waterway on the other. Two infinitely different coastal environments, just feet away from each other.
The location of the estate is itself a harmonious marriage of opposites. Just a 20-minute drive away, Palm Beach contains some of the most expensive and desirable real estate in the world, plus an international airport and destination shopping facilities. In contrast, Manalapan is its well-mannered neighbor: an elegant 1930s coastal town with just 700 residents.
“The intimacy and seclusion of Manalapan is much loved by the people who live here,” says Rick Moeser, Senior Vice President of the region at Christie’s International Real Estate. “They like being able to live a low-key, under-the-radar lifestyle, and they love being surrounded by water – especially the warm, pristine tidal waters of the Atlantic.”
But this intriguing duality is only one aspect of various “twin” elements that give Gemini its name. The Mediterranean-style main house was designed in the 1940s by well-known society architect Marion Sims Wyeth, who went on to create more than 100 luxurious homes in Palm Beach. However, between 1999 and 2003, the house was extensively remodeled by another notable Palm Beach architect, the late Edson E Dailey Jr. These later architectural changes transformed how the property is used.
The intimacy and seclusion of Manalapan is much loved by the people who live here
Now, concealed beneath a road bisecting the estate, there is a beautifully furnished residential gallery. It lies at the heart of Gemini’s main residence, adjacent to the pool on the Intracoastal side, and leads to a skylit foyer on the ocean side. In combination, the gallery seamlessly “twins” both sides of the estate and, aided by some dense and leafy planting, renders the road above completely invisible.
Indeed, the landscaping and the location combine to make this estate a place you never want to leave. Indoor facilities, such as a golf practice room, a library, offices, a media room, and a professional-standard kitchen, mean you never have to. “Living in Gemini is very much like having your own private resort,” says Moeser. “The setting has always been very important to the current owner, and it’s a wonderful place for children. You can entertain friends, family, and business associates on a grand scale here – play a little golf, swim, shoot hoops, explore the gardens, and simply relax together.”
Living in Gemini is very much like having your own private resort
In the 12 years since the estate was remodeled, the plants have been given free rein to mature, creating an emerald-green canopy that is perfectly suited to the tropical climate. Palms, cycads, fig trees, orchids, bromeliads, and vines bring a global flavor to this prestigious Old Florida setting.
Carmen N D’Angelo Jr, broker/owner at Premier Estate Properties, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, likens it to “paradise.” He notes: “There is no other estate that I know of in the continental United States that combines this quantity of ocean-fronted acreage with such seclusion and privacy. You’d normally have to go to a private island for that – in the Caribbean, for example, or the South Pacific. But here you can fly in from anywhere so easily because Palm Beach airport is only minutes away. You also have the glamor and excitement of Miami just 60 miles to the south.”
Inside or outside the impressive property, the Floridian sunshine is never far away. Expansive French doors and Italian-style loggias invite mother nature to curl her toes around the edges of the living areas, creating outdoor dining spaces to enjoy at either end of the day. And Gemini’s affinity with nature continues in its architecture, with a seven-bedroom guesthouse, two guest cottages, and a manager’s house that complement the main residence.
Floor-to-ceiling windows that open fully to the outside let the Florida sunshine in. Photograph: Ngoc Minh Ngo
The grounds are covered in a stunning array of mature trees, plants, and flowers, giving Gemini a tropical-island atmosphere. Photograph: Ngoc Minh Ngo
The light, bright, and generously sized formal dining room features striking polished plaster walls. Photograph: Ngoc Minh Ngo
