The Greystone Estate is a collection of seven unique structures – six of which are residences of varying sizes – located on 55 acres of some of the most pristine mountainland in Colorado. As some would describe it, it’s a family compound located hidden from view behind a private gate and located just 30 miles from the City of Denver.
“I would describe it as more of a union of the seven buildings, with each serving a unique purpose and operating in concert with the others,” says Stan Kniss, the listing agent for the property. “There truly is nothing else like it. The history, the architecture, and the land all combine to create a legacy property that cannot be recreated.”
Its history is certainly unique. In 1914, Genevieve Chandler Phipps decided she had spent enough time traveling and living in hotel suites. Her father, C.H. Chandler, had been a top executive at the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company and a key developer in the “White City” Amusement Park in Bellingham, Washington. After his death in 1910, he bequeathed a substantial inheritance to Genevieve, his only child.
This inheritance, added to the lofty stipend she received annually from the 1904 divorce settlement with ex-husband and steel mogul, Lawrence Cowle Phipps (later Colorado Senator from 1918 to 1931), made 34-year-old Genevieve an extremely wealthy woman. She purchased 1000 acres on Upper Bear Creek Road as the site for the retreat and permanent home she intended to build for herself and her two daughters during their boarding school breaks.
Construction began in 1915 on the Manor House, the Stone Cottage, the Guest House, and the Carriage House. Since 1914, there have been just five owners of the estate. The current owners began their stewardship of the property in 1992. Upon their purchase of Greystone, they invested more than $10M in additions and renovations to the Manor House, as well as the construction of the Pavilion in 2001.
Throughout its storied history, Greystone has hosted Hollywood stars, famed Americans, and international politicians and celebrities all adding to its grandeur.
“Greystone has long been a place of refuge for dignitaries, celebrities and political leaders from across the globe,” says Kniss. Notable guests have included Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ladybird Johnson, Liberace, Groucho Marks, Mae West, Frank Sinatra, John Travolta, Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, Bob Hope and many more. The owners describe it as their Castle in the Mountains, and I would agree.
“The Manor House is a work of art – a testament to hand-crafted, old-world construction – made of stone excavated from the land, and yet simultaneously warm and inviting. While the scale is grand, there is never a place or a moment that it feels overwhelming.”
It’s impossible to talk about the estate without mention of the land. To describe it as pristine isn’t fully accurate. It’s actually magical. Towering pines, elegant stands of aspen trees that turn golden in the fall, undulating hills with the kind of views that people paint, and all the while, the sounds of the river echoing through the property. It’s never the same place twice, which is a unique feature in and of itself.
The property has many extraordinary features. Kniss, who’s a fly fisherman, was immediately drawn to the Upper Bear Creek which runs through the property. “I could sit by the river and the pond, and just watch for hours (with my fishing pole in hand, of course!).”
But there is another feature on the property that equally draws Kniss. “I’m also completely enamored with the Historic Log Cabin, which was originally constructed outside of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, then subsequently taken apart, log by log, and rebuilt at Greystone in the 1980s. It’s an incredibly cozy and romantic place to get away and be very still and quiet.”
What does this property have that no other does? A combination of atmosphere and grandeur. It is a property that couldn’t be recreated today. The grandeur of the estate, combined with a remarkable history and a supreme sense of privacy and security is unmatched.
The main home itself is extraordinary. It features 25 rooms, with just over 12,000 square feet of living space. The current owners renovated the front of the home with a grand entrance that leads to the owner’s library and the stone bar just beyond.
There are 8 massive stone fireplaces located throughout the home, starting in the grand living room, and extending into the formal dining room. Original leaded glass windows surround the property on the main level. Multiple sets of double doors lead from the grand living room to the magnificent grounds, and down to the pool and hot tub area. There are 6 total bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, a fitness center – even a hidden bedroom. The Manor House features formal and informal living areas, as well as multiple decks and terraces around the main floor of the home. There is also a subterranean wine cellar that holds thousands of bottles of wine, and two separate garages for as many as 5 cars.
“I always think about what it’s like to live in a particular place,” says Kniss. “What about this place makes it unique or special? And with such a magnificent estate, that question becomes even more important. It’s a question that the owners are frequently asked, and their answer is always the same: It is whatever you want it to be. That might sound trite to some, but there’s a truth to it as well. Everyone who is fortunate enough to visit Greystone experiences it differently. For some, it’s the pure grandeur of the estate that captures their hearts. For others, it’s the legacy and the storied history of the estate. And for others still, it is the supreme sense of privacy and security that comes with owning 55 acres of pristine land hidden from view behind a gated entrance. How someone experiences the estate is an intensely personal experience.
“And yet some experiences are as constant as the mountains. It starts with a sense of wellness and peace. Just being surrounded by such natural beauty, the sights, sounds (and lack thereof), and smells start to slow things down, allowing one’s mind to soften. There’s a connection that is omnipresent – a connection to the earth, and a connection to the people with whom you surround yourself. There’s a flow to Greystone – just like the river – a change of seasons, a change of perspectives, and a change of attitudes. It is never the same place twice…”
