High-profile billionaires have been all over the news lately, most prominently with Elon Musk’s feud with Trump and with Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s controversial, star-studded wedding that just took place in Venice. However, while some billionaires live large in the spotlight, others prefer to stay low-key and merely enjoy a quiet life at their lavish properties. Bill Koch, whose brothers are widely-known for their contentious contributions to political campaigns and lobbyists, seems to be in the latter category.
Koch, a businessman and sailing enthusiast who once won America’s Cup, has some incredible residences across the U.S. that we’re now seeing a peek of as he brings two to market. Earlier this year, he put his majestic Aspen compound on the market for $125 million and now he just listed a comparably-modest Cape Cod estate for $23.85 million.
Set on a private island in Barnstable, Massachusetts, the nearly 7.5-acre estate is not just notable for currently being owned by Koch now, but also for its prestigious past. In the 1950s, Paul Mellon, heir to the Mellon banking fortune whose family created The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and his wife, Bunny Mellon, a legendary landscape designer who crafted the White House Rose Garden, found the coastal property and chose it as the place to build their summer retreat.
Once the 7,300-square-foot main house with eight bedrooms was complete, they could relax there or entertain close, elite friends with ease. President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy were among their visitors. And, the current seller was even a guest here before owning it. “It is important to me to preserve the home the way I remembered it when I used to visit Paul and Bunny, and maintain their influence and style over the estate,” shares Koch.
As with many historic, well-cared for properties, the waterfront abode still exudes a strong sense of place and elegance that transcends time. Whoever buys it next can tend to the bountiful grounds Bunny crafted, stroll the estate’s extensive pathways, swim off the dock, or lounge across the classic interiors and porches.
Joanna Dresser and Kelly Crosby of LandVest | Christie’s International Real Estate represents the notable listing.