Aspen’s historic Sardy House sold this week to a South Florida investor for $16.25 million.
The property, which has been for sale for 18 months, was originally listed for $20 million.
The new owner, John Devaney, is the chief executive of Florida- based United Capital Markets. He said Tuesday he hasn’t finalized his long-term plans for the property, but he expects it will mainly be used for private and corporate entertaining.
“This was an extraordinary opportunity and a great value, so I’m very excited about the purchase,” he said via e-mail, noting that his family vacations in Aspen annually. “We’ve wanted to have permanence here for some time.”
The 16,000-square-foot Queen Anne Victorian, at 138 East Main St., was built in 1892 by J.W. Atkinson, a mining executive and former Pitkin County sheriff.
A group of private investors bought the property in 1985 and has since run it as a small luxury inn. The property underwent a $2 million renovation in 2004.
The main residence has six bedrooms and retains several of the original architectural features. The attached Carriage House Inn features eight hotel suites and a two-story town home. The property also has a heated outdoor pool and hot tub and a two-bedroom caretakers’ apartment.
“It is a high-profile property. It’s a very marketable and irreplaceable piece of real estate,” said Craig Morris of Aspen’s Morris & Frywald, the listing agent. “There was a lot of interest. This was the third time we had it under contract.”
The deal was facilitated by Miami-based Ferrell Law. Chris Flynn of Aspen Associates was the selling agent.
Staff writer Julie Dunn can be reached at 303-954-1592 or jdunn@denverpost.com.
