The Ottawa
Citizen – City Section
Rockcliffe home featured in Paul Newman
film on the market
Mr. and Mrs. Bridges’ house is
for sale.
It’s one of Rockcliffe Park’s
most spectacular homes and it has
plenty of curb appeal.
And it’s the stately home
that was used in the film Mr. and
Mrs. Bridges, starring Paul Newman
and his wife, Joanne Woodward.
The American film stars caused quite
a stir when they came to Rockcliffe
in the winter of 1990 to film scenes
at the house for the period-drama
set in Kansas City in the 1930s and’40s.
The 400 Acacia Ave. home has served
as the U.S. ministerial residence
since 1948 and now it’s going
on the market for the first time.
The asking price, a cool $2.85 million.
The vacant home has been the principal
living quarters for the U.S. ambassador’s
second in command for half a century
and next week it will be available
for viewing.
“It’s one of the most
prominent properties in the heart
of the old village and it’s
location is just superb,” said
Ottawa real estate agent Marilyn Wilson.
Built in the 1930s and designed
by architect A.J. Hazelgrove for its
first resident, Mrs. Walter Bronson,
the distinctive three-storey home
sits on a spacious 28,225 square foot
lot with attractive landscaping. The
main entrance leads to a large lobby
where the rooms offer plenty of space
for entertaining, while the upstairs
has a master bedroom with ensuite,
plus four other bedrooms and two bathrooms.
The third floor is accessible by stairs
from the second floor lobby and features
another large bedroom with ensuite
bath, a study, lots of storage space
and cedar closet.
The former residents have moved
to another property in Rockcliffe,
so the home recently became vacant
and was put on the market.
“Now that it’s available,
it’s available to be turned
into a family residence or to stay
as an ambassadorial residence,”
said Ms. Wilson, adding she expects
interest from other embassies, or
even families interested in moving
into the grand property.
“You could never reproduce
this property. You could not build
this kind of ambience on any property
in the village and that’s what
makes it so special.”
“The joy of the house is just
the richness in construction and design
of what you saw from the era that
it was built in. It has all been brought
up and its got grand rooms which are
very spacious. It is a house that
unfolds as you go in,” she said.
“It’s a house that doesn’t
disappoint. Whoever ends up with this
house will feel they’ve acquired
something special.”
The house is within a short walk
of many other spectacular residences
in the area, as well as Ashbury College,
Elmwood School and the Rockcliffe
Park Tennis Club.
Ms. Wilson, a longtime agent for
Royal Lepage, has been Rockcliffe
Park’s No. 1 realtor for many
years. The home can be viewed on Ms.
Wilson’s website: rockcliffepark.com.
Ottawa Citizen – City Section
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