Have you ever browsed property Listings online and found something so unique that you couldn’t stop thinking about it? That’s exactly how I feel about a recently listed Lakeshore Estate in Shorewood. The house itself boasts unique features, but the boathouse is truly the star of the show.
Located at 28100 Woodside Road in Shorewood on Smithtown Bay, the home and boathouse were built in the early 1900s and have undergone various renovations since then. Initially, the home was built as a summer abode, but subsequent owners converted it for year-round use. The pagoda-style boathouse was finished two years after the main home and upgraded most recently when the current owners bought it in 1991 — this marks the first time in 35 years the property has been for sale!
Looking at a picture of the boathouse, it’s not hard to see why it’s so unique. The original owners, prior to building the house, had honeymooned in Japan and drew inspiration from the Asian nation to design the boathouse.
To this day, the boathouse still features that Japanese-style architecture, but was renovated by the current owners to add even more unique details, such as a moon door that faces the lake. The current owners also restored the windows and rafter tails and brought some of those Japanese influences into the main house as well.
At three levels, the boathouse has everything you’ll need to enjoy a summer night on Lake Minnetonka. The third level is a beautiful screened-in porch that overlooks the water. The second level features a living room with a large wood-burning fireplace, and the bottom floor features a lakeside deck that leads directly out onto the dock. Here, you will also find abundant lakeside storage, a changing room, and mechanicals.
The style of the boathouse isn’t the only reason it’s a unique draw for the property, though. Since the 1970s, most Lake Minnetonka municipalities have passed ordinances prohibiting the construction of new boathouses — making existing ones that much more valuable.
Existing or “grandfathered” boathouses can be renovated and restored, but for the most part, their original footprint cannot be expanded under the regulations. Which means having a recently renovated boathouse on Lake Minnetonka is a dream come true.
“This is an early 1900s structure that is grandfathered in that couldn’t be replicated today. It is arguably the most iconic, recognizable boathouse on Lake Minnetonka,” says listing agent and Lake Minnetonka specialist Scott Stabeck at Coldwell Banker in Wayzata.
And iconic is right. This particular property — and more specifically, the boathouse — has been featured in two books about Lake Minnetonka. The boathouse is the cover image of Karen Melvin and Melinda Nelson’s “Boathouses of Lake Minnetonka,” a book that came out in 2017. The property is also featured in another book by Karen Melvin and Bette Jones Hammel called “Legendary Homes of Lake Minnetonka.”
Apart from the boathouse, though, other unique qualities about the property include the acreage, lakeshore, and elevation. The property sits on nearly two acres and boasts 267 feet of lakeshore. The home’s elevation also provides a gradual slope, eliminating the need for long steps to reach the lake.
“This property is arguably one of the best sites on Upper Lake. Between the westerly views overlooking Wawatosa Island on Smithtown Bay — a 34-acre island only accessible by boat, providing a front-row seat to spectacular sunsets — the lot size, the lake frontage, and the elevation, I think it’s a very special offering to say the least,” Scott says.
Being located right on Lake Minnetonka also means you’d be living in the epitome of a lake home year-round. With easy access to recreational activities like boating, water skiing, surfing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and to nearby restaurants, marinas, and shops, this property likely won’t last long on the market.
If this property sounds like your dream, reach out to Scott at thestabeckgroup.com to set up a showing. Whether you want to have a nice summer nap after a day of boating or host friends and family, this boathouse is truly a marvel worth seeing.