OCEAN CITY — The cathedral ceiling slopes down to each side from 17 feet above the handsome gas fireplace in the elegant and expansive living room in the newly built home at 1216 B Ocean Ave.
The condominium, where the finishing touches were still being applied during a recent tour, is part of a duplex built atop the bones of the original home at the site.
The handsome three-story building now has a 3,300-square-foot expansion in the rear with five bedrooms, an open great room filled with natural light, a high-end kitchen with abundant seating and multiple porches.
“Nestled on a spacious 58 x 135 lot, this property offers ocean views and timeless charm,” co-listing agent Lorie Rice said. “Thoughtfully designed to blend modern luxury with the character of a classic Ocean City cottage, it provides privacy, comfort and unparalleled quality.”
Sporting a classic seashore design, the home has a wide, wrap-around covered front porch on the ground floor for Unit A with two more above it for Unit B. The top floor provides a fantastic view of the Atlantic Ocean just on the other side of the boardwalk — causing a bit of a “primary bedroom” controversy.
The developer was very conscious of the effect of water flow on an island with ever-diminishing impervious surfaces and installed a French drainage system beneath the extensive brick walkways set in a herringbone pattern.
One leads down the south side to the home’s main entrance, which is atop a set of brick and bluestone slate stairs — there’s also a ground-floor entrance to the elevator — and opens up into a skirt around the garage. An enclosed shower for washing away beach sand before entering the spotless home is just next to the stairs.
On the porch, a mahogany door with multiple window panes opens into a tiled foyer with a closet and stairs that lead up to the left. The mahogany door and mahogany ceiling on the top-floor porch are part of the upscale touches in the home, along with solid-wood doors featuring faux-glass knobs and colonial-style door and window headers.
Atop the stairs, the view opens up into a wide-open great room filled with light through multiple windows — three are set high in the west-facing wall to capture the sensational sunsets and a sliding glass door on the north side opens onto a sun deck. Double windows with bench seats flank the fireplace.
The narrow-plank light wood flooring extends into the kitchen, where a long quartz-topped center island with bar stool seating on one side and a wine refrigerator and Sharp microwave drawer on the other creates a large workspace. More cabinets line the north wall, where there is a subway tile backsplash.
A stainless-steel GE Cafe Series dishwasher is to the right of the deep rectangular sink, while a six-burner range/oven with a hood is in the corner and a two-door refrigerator with a freezer drawer is around to the right. A chandelier in the corner awaits a table, chairs and diners just a few steps away, alongside the pantry closet.
“The gourmet kitchen is a chef’s dream,” co-listing agent Jennifer Bowman said.
A long hall leading all the way to the front of the home connects to three bedrooms — each with a private bath — and a powder room for guests.
The front room, by virtue of its large size, walk-in closet with a hookup for a washer and dryer and its private bath, could be considered the primary suite — except that every room has a private bath and this one is not the only one with an ocean-facing private deck.
Back in the living room, another set of stairs rises to the top floor, where there are two more bedrooms.
“Step up to the top floor, where you’ll find a landing with a balcony that overlooks the stunning great room below,” Rice said.
The front bedroom, while smaller than the one directly below, offers the best view in the house of pure blue water and fluffy white clouds out to sea. And, like its downstairs neighbor, has a walk-in closet and bathroom featuring a long quartz-topped vanity with dual sinks and mirrors and a fully tiled shower with a swinging glass door.
Down the hall, the laundry room has a full-size Electrolux front-load washer and dryer beneath a counter for folding and storing beach towels and bathing suits, as well as cabinets for storing cleaning supplies.
Out back is a shared garage large enough for one vehicle and another spot alongside it. There’s also plenty of metered spaces for parking on the street.
“This exceptional property also includes a private carriage house-inspired garage with an electric car charging station hookup and parking for one car,” Bowman said.
Ocean City is one of the most popular shore resorts on the East Coast. The beach and boardwalk — 2.5 miles of oceanfront entertainment, restaurants, thrill rides and souvenir shops — get most of the attention in this seaside resort, but the island has much more to offer.
An award-winning downtown stretches from Sixth to 14th streets along Asbury Avenue and has expanded onto other nearby streets, offering more than 100 shops and cafes. There’s also the popular watersports district around Third Street on Bay Avenue, where the brave can rent powerboats, go parasailing, join the crew of a pirate ship and take a kayak tour of the back bays. Private and party boat fishing tours are also available.
The home is located in the Central neighborhood, known for the hustle and bustle of multiple businesses both on the boardwalk and around the corner.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
