LITTLE COMPTON —  The Sakonnet Point estate of the late John C. Whitehead, former chairman of Goldman Sachs and the man who led efforts to rebuild lower Manhattan after 9/11, is being offered for sale for $8.5 million.

Listed by Mott & Chace Sotheby’s International Realty, the property, located at 1 and 5 Ohio Road, is a nine-acre oceanfront compound located on the southwestern tip of Sakonnet Point. It includes two oceanfront parcels that encompass the northern half of Lloyd’s Beach, and is surrounded by 20 acres of conservation land and Watch House Pond. Each property features a single-family home, sited to take in the 180-degree views of the Atlantic Ocean out to Cuttyhunk and the Elizabeth Islands, Sakonnet Lighthouse, Sakonnet Passage and Aquidneck Island.

John C. Whitehead’s son, Gregory Whitehead, said his father, who died in 2015 at age 92, loved the simplicity, the peace, and the privacy of the property. “The sense that as soon as one drives through the gate, there is the distinct feeling of being in another world – the confluence of the ocean and the river with the sounds of the sea, the passing of different types of boats, and the abundance of wildlife.”

The contemporary glassed home at 1 Ohio Road sits on 4.5 acres. With over 2,220 square feet of living space, one ensuite bedroom and one-half bathroom, this 2002-built dwelling features a steel superstructure, Crittall glass and steel windows and doors (the sort used in skyscrapers), radiant heat, and a wood burning fireplace.

It’s an exposed location but the house is built to withstand Atlantic storms. Its foundation is drilled and pinned to rock ledge and the house’s “superstructure” is crafted from 50,000 pounds of steel tubes, all welded together on site. 

The converted barn home at 5 Ohio Road sits on just over 4.5 acres and has three bedrooms and three full bathrooms. With over 2,700 square feet of living space, this dwelling, built in 1939, features a one-car garage, a lower level walk-out, and an in-ground gunite pool surrounded by a slate terrace.

The buyer will likely be sharing the property with Cynthia Whitehead, Mr. Whitehead’s widow, said

Cherry Arnold of of Mott & Chace Sotheby’s International Realty, who is listing the property with Judy Chace, co-broker and company owner.

Ms. Whitehead, who is in her 80s, holds a life estate to the newer house which enables her to live there as long as she wishes.

The property also comes with conservation restrictions that, while enabling renovations, would limit building expansions.

Those restrictions reflect a desire to protect Little Compton’s open space and natural beauty that became a mission for the Whiteheads during their time in Little Compton. Mr. Whitehead worked with the Nature Conservancy and other organizations — the nature preserve associated with the Dundery Brook Trail System bears his name.

A beloved refuge

Before buying, John Whitehead rented the property for two summers, his children Gregory and Sara Whitehead told Mott & Chace.

“During that time, they met Carl Haffenreffer, who owned Seaconnet Farm. Carl trusted John to be a responsible conservation partner in purchasing part of the historic Seaconnet Farm property, with certain rights reserved by the Haffenreffers, including the beach access trails and the right for cows to continue grazing on the point — appropriate, given that the barn had been a working dairy facility. John welcomed all of these ideas; he and Carl later became good friends as well as neighbors.”

Having been built  just after the 1938 hurricane, the barn “was built to last … John was determined to preserve the identity of the barn, rather than transform it into something entirely different.”

At the same time, with guests, children and grandchildren often visiting, “John envisioned a new house that would also serve as a summer office. The vision was to embed the house in the rock outcroppings, to minimize visual impact (yet) offer a modern counterpoint to the classic gabled barn.”

Asked what they will miss about the property, the two replied, “Everything.”

Special memories include “Endless hours with our young daughters building elaborate castles and sand cities on the beach. Playing kayak tag with the seals. Visits to the lighthouse — it is possible to disembark there on days when the bay is calm. Beach-combing — some extraordinary finds over the years. Feasts prepared using all local foods, from Walker’s Farm to the Westport fish market. Annual kayak roundtrips to Newport. The incredible daily airshow of seabirds, and other avian species. Kayak circumnavigations of the various islands. The night sky. The many moods of coastal weather, constantly changing …”

“This very special estate is one of the most beautiful and private oceanfront compounds in Southern New England.” Ms. Arnold said.