A race against time is underway to save Sandy Point Farm, a historic Portsmouth property with ties to the Vanderbilt family, as it heads to auction later this month.
The newly formed Sandy Point Heritage Foundation is scrambling to raise $1.5 million by October 15 in hopes of preserving the site as a community hub.
The 6-acre estate, once part of a sprawling 280-acre Vanderbilt property, is scheduled for auction from October 17 to 31. Starting bids are expected between $1 million and $2 million.
Genna Heath, a Portsmouth resident, and Ingrid Adolphs, of Newport, recently incorporated the nonprofit foundation with the mission of protecting Sandy Point, renovating it, and transforming it into a space for equine-related activities accessible to all.
“We need the community to rally for this,” Adolphs told What’sUpNewp during a recent interview. “We are very afraid that the way that this is being marketed and the current conditions of the property would lead to someone acquiring it to tear it down.”
The foundation aims to raise $1.5 million for a down payment to secure the property before the auction. If unsuccessful, they hope to partner with the eventual buyer to pursue their mission.
“Our goal is to start a capital campaign of $5 million in the next four years to acquire it, renovate it, and revitalize it,” Adolphs explained.
Heath emphasized their vision extends beyond preserving the property’s equestrian roots. “We want to keep the core of it the same, but we really want to open it up,” she said. “We want to make programs that are accessible. We want to do scholarships and sponsorships of courses so that different people can get in there and actually participate.”
The property features 24-stall stables, a 15,000-square-foot indoor riding arena, and additional structures. It also houses what Heath described as “the longest continuously operating music recording studio in New England.”
While the auction has created a tight timeline, the founders remain optimistic. They’ve secured a fiscal sponsor to accept tax-deductible donations while awaiting their 501(c)(3) status.
Local officials have expressed verbal support, according to Heath. “Everybody that we’ve talked to is verbally very supportive,” she said. “Like, I think everybody wants to see this building survive.”
The foundation sees the project as beneficial to the entire Aquidneck Island community. “It’s a tight-knit community,” Heath said. “What affects one of us, affects all of us.”
Adolphs added, “I don’t think that people that have disabilities or children that need enriching activities, despite wherever their socioeconomic situation is … I don’t think that all that is limited by town limits.”
The group plans to partner with local organizations such as FabNewport, the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, and the Boys and Girls Club to create impactful programs.
“Let’s not let another developing company from Boston come in and build a set of mansions on historical properties,” Adolphs urged.
Those interested in supporting the Sandy Point Heritage Foundation’s efforts can visit sandypointheritage.org for more information and donation options.
