Abandoned for Over 70 Years, Carleton Island Villa Is Now Available for $495K

Abandoned for Over 70 Years, Carleton Island Villa Is Now Available for 5K

An abandoned villa on Carleton Island in Cape Vincent, NY, is on the market—again—for $495,000.

The crumbling castle just across the border from Canada hasn’t been lived in for over seven decades. Open to the elements, the falling-down property would require millions more than its humble sale price to restore it to its former glory. 

The daunting task hasn’t deterred plenty of looky-loos from clicking on the spooky listing, which recently landed on our weekly list of most popular homes.

While the empty estate may not be haunted, it’s certainly a ghost of its former self. And the tale behind it is certainly an unlucky one. 

According to news reports, the once-grand mansion was built on the small island in the 1890s as a vacation home for businessman William O. Wyckoff. 

Wyckoff had amassed his fortune selling the then-newly invented typewriter for the arms manufacturer E. Remington and Sons. With his riches, he decided to build a vacation home on the picturesque spot on the St. Lawrence River.

Designed by William Henry Miller, an architect known for his work on Cornell University, the mansion served only briefly as Wyckoff’s residence. The owner reportedly died of a heart attack on his first night at the mansion. His wife reportedly had died about a month before the home was ready.

The estate passed to one of Wyckoff’s sons, although it is believed that any family fortune was likely lost during the Great Depression. 

In the 1930s, General Electric owned the property briefly, apparently intending to use it as a company retreat, according to one report. Bad timing struck again and the company abandoned its plans during World War II. No one has lived in the home since 1927.

The current owners live nearby in a cottage, and some years back decided to sell off the villa, which is now a money pit in dangerous disrepair. It’s bounced on and off the market, looking for a buyer to toss a life preserver, first in 2012, then again in 2015, all for the same price tag. Which—of course—doesn’t include the work the new owner will need to put in.

“What you’re going to have to do now, it’s not a restoration, it’s more of a re-build,” says listing agent Barry Kukowski.

Kukowski receives calls from potential buyers every week, but so far none has decided to jump on the intimidating project. One recently estimated an investment of some $10 to $12 million, he says.

The new owner would be starting from the ground up, as the stone foundation and wood frame upper floors have deteriorated, and there are no utilities connected to the villa, although there is electricity on the island and water from the river.

You also may notice in the photos that the windows, doors, and pretty much anything removable are gone. During World War II, contractors were allowed to go in and take those things, leaving the villa open to the elements, according to the listing description.

Another complicating factor: The island is accessible only by boat. Materials, trucks, and equipment would have to be floated in by barge. This pushes up costs 30% compared with a similar job on the mainland, the agent estimates.

Still, the iconic villa is perfectly positioned to serve as a hotel or bed and breakfast, Kukowski says. The place offers 15,000 square feet, 11 beds, and 6.9 acres with three waterfronts and 198 feet of water frontage, and tour boats pass by all the time. Vacationers come to the island from across New York as well as Canada.

“It would be great if someone could buy it,” Kukowski says. “It would be a great tourist attraction for the Thousand Islands.”

The potential is here. And even as the years tick by without a sale, the owners don’t seem to have an inclination to tear it down, waiting for someone to bring the once-grand home back to life.

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