From the time he was a child, Russell Barton has dreamed about owning land and renovating buildings.
“Popular Mechanics was always my favorite magazine, that and the United Farm catalog,” said Barton. “I couldn’t swing a hammer and I couldn’t build anything on my own, but that didn’t stop me from being interested in properties. I bought my first house in Southport when I was 16.”
Barton hasn’t stopped since then. He loves buying and is always surfing the Internet looking for interesting things to buy. Not just land or houses. (Barton and Stone at White Bridge Farm, Up.)
“He once bought a Bentley online at three in the morning,” said his fiancée Susi Stone. “Unfortunately it rolled off a flatbed as it was being shipped and he never got it. But that didn’t deter him.”
Barton has been purchasing and developing properties in this area for several years now, everything from restaurants to condominiums to shopping centers to houses, including one of the period houses on North Street in Litchfield, Conn. He is passionate about what he does and seldom takes a misstep. He has a capacity to see both the visual aspect as well as the financial aspect of any project he approaches.
New Life for 1812 Jail:
Among Russell Barton’s projects is the former Litchfield County Jail in the center of Litchfield. He purchased the property last year for $130,000 and has submitted renovations plans to the Historic District Commission. They include developing sites for a restaurant, coffee shop, small retail shops, office space, and three loft apartments on the top floor. But it has not been a smooth ride.
“Quite honestly I’m surprised I’ve gotten as much resistance as I have,” said Barton. “Litchfield has been wonderful to me and I am trying to give back by transforming the jail into usable space. There is a need for some smaller retail spaces; everyone can’t afford the rents on the Green. I think the town could use some energy, some gasoline to get things going again. It’s a beautiful town but things could be better."
Whatever the outcome Barton doesn’t give up easily. He has a vision and he will do everything he can to see it through.
“I’m not a visionary,” he said, “but where others may see a potential risk, I see a possibility. Most people buy for the aesthetic value, I see the financial pitfalls as well. If the property doesn’t have a combination of both it’s not going to work.”
Barton, a tall, robust man who is always smiling, knows the ins and outs of buying and selling real estate. He always does his homework and knows what he is getting into. And while he loves what he buys, restores it and stays with it for a while, he is not inclined to hold on to everything. At one point, he owned The Rocks, designed by American architect Eric Rossiter, which had been owned by theatrical producer Scott Rudin. Barton lived in the guesthouse, overwhelmed by the size and number of rooms in the main house. The Rocks has had several owners since then and Barton has gone on to own many other houses—but none quite so impressive or imposing.
One property that Barton seems intent on keeping is White Bridge Farm in Litchfield. It was originally known at Thunder Ridge Farm and owned by James B. Irwin, Sr., who committed suicide in 2009.
“I’ve always loved this farm,” Barton said. “I had made several offers to Irwin before he died, but he always turned me down. I wound up buying it for much less than my original offers. It is a spectacular spread and I knew I had to have it.”
Stone wasn’t so sure. A horse farm? Not an easy task to maintain. But, as a horse person herself, it was hard to resist. Stone and Barton, who have been together seven years, met over a piece of property he was trying to buy in Woodbury.
“I had made a deal to buy this restaurant and the owner and I had come to terms. One evening she introduced me to her friend Susi Stone. The deal eventually fell through, but by then Susi and I were together,” recalled Barton.
Prior to meeting Barton and becoming involved in his work, Stone spent time as head chef for Ina Garten at The Barefoot Contessa, thanks to her education at the Culinary Institute of America. She also worked with the Olympic Torch organizers for the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid. From those media contacts Stone found her way to the National Equestrian Federation, where she became Director of Marketing. Since horses and riding had been the backdrop of her life, this was an ideal place for her to be. She now works for The Reputation Institute, the world's leading research and advisory firm for reputation, a job she can do from home.
She is the perfect balance for Barton. While he is on the go from the minute he wakes up and is constantly working on a deal, an idea, or a problem, Stone is the calming force; she is easy-going and manages to maintain a certain degree of serenity.
“We have a wonderful relationship,” said Stone. “Keeping him grounded is something I work on everyday. Russ couldn’t do all of this at the same pace if he didn’t have a soft place to land.”
That place (above and below) includes the renovated farmhouse in which they live, just down the road from the stables and horse stalls. In addition to the horse paddocks, various outbuildings, and the house, the property includes 68 acres on one side of Beach Street and some 36 acres across the street. That acreage has been gifted so it will never be developed. It is a picturesque setting, the vistas extraordinary, the atmosphere idyllic.
“People are always worried; a developer buys a big piece of property and they expect there will be dozens of new houses built. But that’s not going to happen here,” Barton said. “I love this land too much to ever do that.”
White Bridge Farm has been up and running for a few years is now a thriving enterprise.
“The first two years were really hard,” Stone said. “The place was terribly rundown and it took some time to understand what motivates horse people and to build the right facility. We’ve now created a place where a 2-year-old can learn to ride and so can a 70-year-old.”
In addition to riding lessons, the farm boards about 50 horses; they also buy and sell horses that they import from northern Germany. White Bridge Farm also has expert trainers and instructors in multiple disciplines including dressage, hunters, hunter/jumper, and equitation. The grounds are also available to rent for special occasions.
“We’re trying to brand the farm so that everyone will learn how much goes on here,” said Stone.
Meanwhile, Barton is far from idle. Everyday he is bombarded with calls from people looking for investors or trying to sell properties. He has become his own real estate agent. He is negotiating to purchase retail spaces in Washington Depot. Like several local towns, the Depot has recently been suffering due to the demise of a spate of stores. Recently Barton has also purchased shops in Woodbury, one of which has been rented to a purveyor of high-end antiques.
Meanwhile, there are so many other things to pursue, including a new horse farm in Wellington, Florida.
With so many opportunities coming his way, Barton is a happy man.
(Below, a rendering of what the former Litchfield Jail would look like when restored and re-purposed. The elevated walkway has proven to be a controversial aspect of the plans.)
Source: connecticutmag.com