(In The News) The Villas on Worth Avenue has been longtime family home

Ken and Barbara O’Herron’s history with The Villas — the lakeview co-operative building on the west end of Worth Avenue — goes way back.

“Ken’s parents had lived in Penthouse B for more than 30 years and we inherited the unit,” Barbara O’Herron says about the building at 425 Worth Ave.

“Ken’s aunt and uncle also lived at The Villas, and then a few years ago, we had the opportunity to buy our apartment, 2C. Ken and I love it.”

The O’Herrons live in Raleigh, N.C., and spend the winter months in Palm Beach. But now that their family is growing to include grandchildren, they are looking for something a little larger on the island, and they are selling their three-bedroom, three-bathroom unit on the second floor.

With 2,746 square feet of living space, inside and on its balconies, the unit is listed for sale at $4.995 million through broker Linda Olsson of Linda R Olsson Inc.

The six-story building was built in 1971 with six units on floors 2 through 5 and three penthouses on the top floor. Three banks of elevators open to a vestibules accessing two units each.

One enters the O’Herrons’ apartment from the vestibule into a foyer that leads, in turn, to a central hallway. On the south side of the unit are the living room and sitting room, flanked by the master suite and guest bedroom suite. A balcony runs along the entire south side. North of the center hallway are the dining room — with its own terrace — along with the kitchen and a bedroom suite. All of the windows and doors have impact-resistant glass.

“Our current apartment is more spacious than our penthouse was, and we like the configuration better,” Barbara O’Herron says. “We like that our guest room is on one side and the master is on the other, providing a little more privacy for us and our guests.

“Both bedrooms are just the about the same size and they are on the Worth Avenue side of the building.”

With a gentle curve, the building is on the north side of the Avenue and stands one building east of Cocoanut Row, a location that makes it convenient to shopping and dining.

The O’Herrons’ apartment affords direct views of the Intracoastal Waterway and Everglades Island across the Avenue.

“We feel we are on a cruise ship, and there’s lots of light in our apartment,” she says. “It’s serene and the sunsets are beautiful. We also have a pretty northern exposure, looking out over rooftops and Major Alley, one of my favorite little areas in Palm Beach.”

Their unit was renovated by the previous owners, she adds.

“We were very fortunate. Our taste is very much the same as their taste, so we just painted and papered,” she explains.

“It was fun to repurpose the furniture and move it around. Everything fit, making us feel that we had made wise choices about our furnishings.”

The apartment features molding and recently refinished parquet floors in the main areas, a decorative fireplace in the living room and carpeting in the bedrooms.

With a soft color palette, the living room and sitting room are separated by a bank of French windows and doors. The dining room walls are papered in historical scenes by Zuber et Cie.

The master bathroom is finished in marble and the bathroom in the guest suite features a floor of Waterworks tile in a woven pattern. The stone countertop has Sheryl Wagner sinks, and the tub surround is marble.

The kitchen has a painted hardwood floor with a Delft (a city in the Netherlands famous for its blue and white ceramics) feel, smoky-blue granite countertops, a mirrored backsplash and professional-grade appliances.

The lobby of The Villas was renovated two years ago by Palm Beach interior designer Scott Snyder. Amenities include a full-time manager, door staff, garage parking and a generator. It’s a pet-friendly building, allowing one pet up to 20 pounds per unit.

“We have been very happy here,” Barbara O’Herron says, “but we are happy to be making a change and thinking about our family.”

Article Source: Palm Beach Daily News