45 Catherine St, Newport, RI 02840

Ayrault House was built in 1915 as the summer home of Miss Virginia Scott Hoyt, a NYC resident who was the granddaughter of Gen. Winfield Scott. The neo-Georgian house was designed by Cross and Cross, the NYC architects who also designed the Tiffany and RCA Buildings, Sutton Place, and other NYC landmarks. The home was built around a circular staircase and other significant architectural features the Crosses salvaged from one of Stuyvesant mansions on Second Avenue that was built in the early 1800s and last served as the well-known Cafe Boulevard restaurant before it was razed in 1915. After Miss Hoyt, owners include the Rev. Andrew Chalmers Wilson, onetime president of the Redwood Library, and his wife, the Countess Marguerite dePourtales, Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Isham, and Mr. & Mrs. Robert Morton. From 2014 to 2016, the home was partially gutted and completely renovated, restoring and enhancing the impressive in-town estate with all new mechanical systems. The one-acre grounds, which include a pool, brick walls, and ornamental trees, were also renovated and a three-car garage was added. Located in the Kay-Catherine neighborhood, the home is in walking distance of First Beach, the Cliff Walk, and the Newport harbor front.