July 6, 2007 In Washington, Former Estate Of Avery Fisher Is Purchased By NANCY BARNES road,” said Mr. Rook, who remarked that he the trees start,” he said, identifying them as WASHINGTON—An estate in Washington and Mr. Wallgren bought the property with oaks, maples, some pines and a lot of birch carrying a distinguished pedigree has changed its long, straight driveway on a whim. “We trees. The pond on the property, he noted, was hands, with the former residence of the late Av- weren’t looking to move,” he said. “We were built by the Army Corps of Engineers. ery Fisher (1906-1994) purchased by Sherman very happy in Sherman. This just seemed like a “Very quiet. Very private. Very quiet,” he residents Richard Wallgren and Martin Rook. very special opportunity.” said, describing the 22-acre tract the pair now The sale price was $1.6 million. Mr. Rook noted that there is a recognizable owns. “The neighboring properties are very Mr. Fisher, an amateur violinist and audio stereo system built into the house, although he pretty, but you don’t see them.” specialist who invented the first stereo radio- described it as “not something that really jumps The move from Sherman to Washington, phonograph in the 1950s, is perhaps best out at you.” The single-level structure, which which the pair hope to accomplish this summer, known for the auditorium in Manhattan’s was built in 1958, is what Mr. Rook termed a is not their only change in residence this year. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts that Colonial Revival as opposed to a contemporary In November, they plan to move from their bears his name. The hall is home to the New Ranch. current address on lower Fifth Avenue near York Philharmonic, to which Mr. Fisher, a “We’ll do some work,” he said, noting that Washington Square to the Zeckendorf property philanthropist, had donated $10.5 million. the pair would confine most of their efforts to at 15 Central Park West. Mr. Wallgren is head of sales and market- putting in a new kitchen. When he first moved “Our house in Sherman was much closer to ing for the limestone-clad apartment complex to New York, Mr. Rook lived in Brooklyn, our apartment in New York,” said Mr. Rook. designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern, where Mr. Fisher was born. Later, he studied at “But, having the store in New Preston, most who is dean of the Yale University School of the Culinary Institute of America in of the people we know are in Washington. In Architecture, for real estate royals Arthur W. Hyde Park, N.Y. As a chef, he oversaw terms of the store, [the distance from the Fisher and William Lie Zeckendorf at 15 Central Park the patisserie at La Grenouille restaurant in estate] is only about four miles back and forth.” West. midtown New York before spending his week- Carolyn Klemm of Klemm Real Estate list- Mr. Rook owns New Preston Kitchen days at the kitchen shop in New Preston. ed the property. Judy Auchincloss of Sotheby’s Goods, which operates out of an 1850 building “One of the strongest features of the [Wash- International Realty at Washington Depot, who owned by Mr. Wallgren and Mr. Rook that ington] property is the land,” said Mr. Rook, represented Mr. Rook and Mr. Wallgren when previously housed a pharmacy. At present, they who noted that the first part of the driveway off they purchased the 19th-century building that live in Sherman and also New York. Old Litchfield Road goes through a hay field. houses the Kitchen Works, represented the pair “You can’t even see the house from the “Once you get past the hay field, that’s where in their purchase of the Fisher property.