Just north of New York City, Irvington’s nearly 100-year-old “Cinderella” castle-style Villa Keen—built in 1929 and last sold in 2023 for $1.65 million—has reappeared on the market for $1.8 million. The listing traces a remarkable ownership trail, from media l
A cast-iron fairy tale is back on the block.
The nearly 100-year-old Villa Keen in Irvington. New York—dubbed a “Cinderella” castle by its realtors—has just hit the market for $1.8 million. The 3. 500-square-foot home sits on roughly 2 ½ acres just off the Hudson River. offering a rare blend of old-world details and a Westchester setting that feels close enough to be reachable. yet removed enough to linger in the imagination.
Built in 1929 by Joseph Keen for himself and his wife. the property’s history reads like a who’s who of the public spotlight. Its first notable resident after Keen was Lloyd Stratton. a prominent executive at the Associated Press who was integral to the publication’s reporting during World War II and the years following. per the New York Times. After Stratton. Robert Wright. a TV producer best known for being the associate producer of “The Carol Burnett Show. ” lived there. Following Wright. Tony-and-Grammy-winning actor Jack Cassidy and actress Shirley Jones lived in the home with their son while acting in the musical “Maggie Flynn” on Broadway.
The sale and resale of Villa Keen is now drawing attention because it’s happening quickly for a home with this kind of provenance. The listing says the house was sold in July 2023 after being listed in 2022. It previously sold for $1.65 million. and now—just three years later—the current seller is a tech entrepreneur who had renovation plans in mind when he bought the home from a decades-long resident. Those plans, the realtors say, were cut short because he had to move for work.
Set about 15 miles from New York City. the castle-style home is described as close to the Hudson River—about 1 mile away—and about five minutes from the Irvington train station on the Metro-North Railroad’s Hudson Line. Real estate agents also frame it as a difficult kind of find: Adam Blankfort. one of the home’s realtors at Corcoran Baer & McIntosh. told Business Insider that Keen took a drawing of a California castle-home with him to New York and set out to create the same design.
Villa Keen fits the “storybook” style that emerged in Los Angeles in the 1920s. Per the North Shore Heritage Preservation Society, defining characteristics of storybook homes include asymmetrical visual features, round, gothic-style windows, and stucco-clad walls, among other traits.
Inside and out, the property leans into spectacle without fully surrendering its original bones. Its nearly 2.43-acre plot includes an in-ground pool, plus a pool house and an enclosed courtyard. A walkway of colored stones leads to two ancient-looking carved stone pillars that serve as the front gate. and a winding staircase guides the path to the entrance. The home’s woodwork and paneling are described as largely original, and arched windows are a common feature.
The details that make the property feel like royalty are scattered throughout the rooms. Chandeliers are common, including a Schonbek Austrian Crystal Chandelier located in a room that previously served as the dining room. There are light fixtures from Mackenzie-Childs. In the home’s library, the listing notes a closet big enough to act as its own bedroom. Elsewhere, the turrets aren’t just decoration—each one contains a bedroom. Altogether, the castle has five bedrooms and five full bathrooms. Beyond the two main levels, there is also a partial attic and a semi-finished basement.
Some sections nod to different eras. The listing describes a 1950s-style kitchen with tiled marble floors. a bulky range hood above the stove. and an all-white finish. In the living room, the space is said to simulate how it looked during the mid-20th century. When Cassidy and Jones lived there. the room featured a grand piano; it has since been swapped out for a more humble upright piano. though the fireplace remains. complete with a Chesneys mantel.
Even the yard contains markers meant to slow the eye: the property includes markings believed to be done by Native Americans. Per Westchester Magazine, a tree on the property is marked with carvings believed to be the work of historic Native American peoples.
For a buyer considering Villa Keen at $1.8 million. the appeal is clear: a century-old “storybook” castle close to the city. with a recorded chain of residents that stretches from wartime media leadership to Broadway show life. The question hanging over the listing is the same one that follows any fast turn: what happens next after a purchase driven by renovation plans meets the reality of having to move for work—and how much of the house’s story will remain untouched as its next chapter begins.
Villa Keen Irvington New York Hudson River storybook castle home Corcoran Baer & McIntosh $1.8 million real estate listing 1929 home Mackenzie-Childs light fixtures Schonbek chandelier Metro-North Hudson Line