5 minute read
Crestview Farm
from LAND Fall 2023
On The Cover
Crestview Farm
152± Acres
AIKEN COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA
Crestview Farm, located on 152± acres in historic and equestrian-centric Aiken, South Carolina, is a peerless legacy property where craftsmanship defines even the tiniest detail.
“Crestview Farm is simply a ‘one of one,’” said Bernard “Bernie” Uechtritz, founder of Dallasbased Icon Global. “Everything from the design, quality and construction to the size, location and topography of the land holding is unmatched in the area—and far beyond.”
Raza Kazmi, who is manager of the New Bridge Polo and Country Club and a realtor, concurs, “There isn’t another property purposely built with the level of care, quality and thought as Crestview Farm.”
Created as a private family compound and polo estate in 2009, the farm includes two homes, executive apartments along with a carriage house and stables and executive apartments. A world-class polo field with an elegant viewing stand and a 24-stall stable custom-crafted in Oregon from Douglas fir are arguably the focal points of the equestrian infrastructure, which also includes a state-ofthe art breeding facility, numerous pastures and paddocks as well as countless other amenities.
Everything on the property was built by Cooper Home & Stable to exacting standards. The main barn provides one example of the thought and attention to detail that informed every step of the construction process.
According to J.D. Cooper, founder of the local design-and-build firm that bears his name, the main barn was sketched on a paper napkin during a lunch with the client at the Willcox Hotel in downtown. The sketch was sent to a timber-frame expert who consulted with the Cooper team on design. The final design was sent to Portland, Oregon, where a firm that specializes in milling and constructing with timber built the barn and then shipped the massive components back to South Carolina where the barn was erected on site.
The limestone fountain, situated in one of the courtyards, is a reclaimed antique that once graced a Greek island. The Cooper team sourced it from an antiques dealer in California and integrated it into the overall design here.
“Everything is to appear as an organic part of the landscape, which was the desire of the client,” Cooper said. “This project has become my favorite of all time, and that’s saying something because I’ve been in the building business for 50 years.”
Complementing the land instead of overwhelming Crestview Farm showcases the gently rolling landscape, distinctive contours and stunning views. Most farms in the area are pancake flat. The property is also much larger than most in close vicinity to Aiken.
“What sets it apart is the amount of acreage,” said Chris Smith, who manages Crestview Farm. “It is rare to have this much land on a private farm this close to Aiken’s horse corridor.”
The area’s equestrian culture is closely tied to the Winter Colony, which was established by scions of industry and society from the Northeast in the late 19th century as they sought to escape the harsh cold. With names such as Astor, Whitney and Vanderbilt, they were the glitterati of the Gilded Age, and they gathered in Aiken. Today, the community, which enjoys amenities of fine dining, boutique shopping and diverse arts, has grown to about 30,000. The charming town is just 20 minutes east of Augusta, Georgia, and its famed golf destinations, and about 2 ½ hours from Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.
The gentry brought their elite lifestyle to the region, which included a wide variety of equestrian disciplines from steeple chasing and fox hunting to driving and jumping. Although the homes of the Winter Colony now constitute two historic districts and the Victorian-era society has been replaced with Southern hospitality, the equestrian lifestyle still thrives among the pines due in part to the loamy clay soil.
“One of the things that brought people here was the footing,” Smith said. “The weather is nice, but the footing is exceptional; you can have a significant rain in the morning, and if everything has been done right, you can play polo in the afternoon.”
Today, equestrian enthusiasts from around the globe come to the area, which is known for the Aiken Training Track, home to champion thoroughbreds, the Aiken Polo Club, the nation’s oldest polo club, and the Aiken Horse Park, host of equestrian competitions including dressage, hunter/jumper and eventing.
While the farm’s creation was prompted by a passion for polo, it can transition into almost anything the new owners might need or imagine.
“While it evolved as a private polo estate, Crestview Farm can be anything for anyone. . . a public or private center for Grand Prix jumping, reining or carriage driving,” said Uechtritz, who himself is an avid polo player. “Of course, it could also become an enclave of luxury homes or cabins with central amenities or be completely repurposed as a music studio or soundstage.
“It can’t be pigeonholed as a polo-centric property because the improvements and versatility for any equestrian use or even nonequestrian enjoyment are in place.”
152± Acres
Aiken County, South Carolina
$15,000,000
Icon Global
214-855-4000
