Fort Lauderdale’s Sheppard Estate lists for $4.95M

One of the first homes ever to be built on the iconic Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, Florida has hit the market for $4.95 million.

Made up of nine bedrooms and seven baths, the estate spans more than 7,400 square feet.

What’s now recognized as one of the most prominent streets in the US, the boulevard used to be a dirt road where this home, the Sheppard Estate, stood.

It then transformed into an upscale neighborhood with a slew of fashion boutiques, art galleries, restaurants and sidewalk cafes — popular among the city’s locals and tourists alike.

In 1989, the Sheppard Estate was declared a historic landmark. Once owned by Lawrence and Charlotte Sheppard of Pennsylvania, the former owners of the Hanover Shoe Company, the property was boarded up and began to deteriorate after their deaths in the 1980s.

Many Fort Lauderdale residents feared that the dwelling would turn into a commercial space, but that 1989 landmarking has helped protect the residence.

Built in 1926, the home, located at 1620 E. Las Olas Boulevard, has since been renovated and meticulously restored.

Pegged as a George Fink design masterpiece, it has been recognized as a hallmark of Mediterranean Revival architecture, with arched openings and windows separated by decorative turned mullions, columns, balconies and a central tower with an open belfry.

It was initially built as a summer house for road builder William Snyder. Shortly after its construction, the property became a venue for frequent social gatherings.

Features of the gated home include that three-story tower, the primary residence and a guest house. The central tower also acts as a rooftop terrace.

Amenities include a saltwater pool and spa, a landscaped courtyard and patio areas.

The main residence boasts a great room with a crafted fireplace, a dining room with carved wood ceilings from a Venetian Palazzo, a Florida room, a library, a kitchen, a game room, an elevator and a two-car garage.

The spread also features a lower level 720-square-foot basement that can be utilized as a storage area or a wine cellar, the listing notes.

Senada Adžem and Chris Leavitt of Douglas Elliman have the listing.