The scenic coast enclave of Newport, Rhode Island, is no stranger to historic grandeur, but even in this rarefied locale, Boxcroft stands apart. The Red Cross Avenue residence, designed by the vaunted firm McKim, Mead & White, who helped define American architecture at the turn of the 20th century, has just returned to the market after undergoing a meticulous restoration, asking $8.25 million, a notable leap from its last sale in July 2023, when it traded for $3.5 million. Compass agent Eric Kirton holds the listing.

The house was originally built for Samuel Colman, a respected landscape painter and decorative tastemaker who also served as the first president of the American Watercolor Society. Over the years, Boxcroft passed through the hands of several prominent local families, including one with ties to the first president of New York’s Corn Exchange Bank. Colman’s influence is still felt in the home’s sense of proportion and detail, and today the shingled-sided home is layered with Newport’s rich history without tipping into museum territory.

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A recent renovation by Horan Building Company focused on a careful refinement rather than a full-scale reinvention. The public spaces retain the graceful scale that McKim, Mead & White was known for, making the interiors feel both substantial and comfortably livable. Much of the original millwork was carefully restored, with staircases and moldings brought back to life, and modern systems quietly integrated so the house functions like a 21st-century home while still feeling true to its origins. 

The main residence spans just over 7,200 square feet, with an additional 1,350 square feet on the lower level, for a total of almost 8,600 square feet. Altogether, there are eight bedrooms and eight and a half baths, including six en-suite bedrooms. The primary suite reads as a private retreat, complete with a spa-like bath, walk-in closets, and a dedicated office, while two of the guest suites include a kitchenette, perfect for long-term visitors or live-in staff.

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The roughly two-thirds of an acre parcel feels inviting and unexpectedly serene for its central Newport location. Manicured grounds frame the home, a heated saltwater pool anchors the backyard, and a secluded patio, outfitted with an outdoor kitchen and fire pit, creates an easy setting for summer evenings that stretch well past sunset.

In a city defined by an architectural legacy of grandiose homes, Boxcroft feels refreshingly personal and eminently approachable, less a gilded showpiece and more a thoughtfully revived historic home that bridges the past with both the present day and the future. 

Click here to see more photos of the Rhode Island home.