WWW.BOATINTERNATIONAL.COMPHOTOGRAPH: EDWARD BUTERANOVEMBER 2017
Who needs a home with cloisters,
an outdoor loggia and a 16th
century carved ceiling? An
internet billionaire with a state-
of-the-art 260ft sailing yacht,
that’s who. Jim Clark, the founder
of Netscape, the web browser, and
owner of Royal Huisman’s
flagship sailing yachtAthena,
bought this 1930s estate in 1999
for $11 million. Il Palmetto is now
on the market for $115 million,
the most expensive Palm Beach
property ever put up for sale, but
he has made some key additions,
including a few extra bedrooms,
an infinity pool and dockage for
his antique motorboats.
The property was built by
society architect Maurice Fatio
for the Philadelphia industrialist
Joseph Widener. The estate is
5.14 acres and has about 340 feet
of beachfront, east of South
Ocean Boulevard. Since
restoration, the house has 10
bedrooms (including one lovely,
secluded two bed boathouse),
a 20,000 bottle, carved limestone
wine cellar, two elevators, and an
indoor/outdoor entertaining area
known as the Moroccan Room
because of its intricate tiling.
There’s a tunnel for direct beach
access and the designer boutiques
and fine dining of Worth Avenue
are close by, as are a range of golf
courses and polo venues.
Il Palmetto, Palm Beach, $115m,
sothebyshomes.comThe first
estate
In a town known for excess, this 10 bedroom
Italian Renaissance mansion still pushes
boundaries.Francesca Steeleon the most
expensive Palm Beach property ever listedThe 1930 built Il Palmetto is
an Italian Renaissance style
palazzo designed as a series of
pavilions connected by cloisters