Dr. Sutton pretty much personifies the problem with U.S. healthcare. How can one man amass that much money as a pathologist? All of that money comes out of the pockets of people who are, typically, very sick. U.S. healthcare is a predatory system.
39
It took him a long time to learn that:
You don't own things,
they own you.
It sounds like money didn't buy him happiness.
20
That old adage, "money can't buy brains" was written with this guy in mind.
15
I think the key to this story/his life is his feeling you can't go home again after his excellent service as a whistle blower.
14
That's not an island. That's an oil rig sans rig.
25
“I thought I would have great thoughts out here,” he said,
...
My eyes have rolled so far back in my head that I think they are stuck.
41
It never ceases to amaze me how people can unnecessarily complicate their lives.
28
These sound kind of cool. Wonder how these island homes may fare as Airbnbs.
9
@AR & @Elise My thoughts EXACTLY!
Dear Dr. Sutton,
Please consider donating this fascinating oasis to underprivileged children or students or to a Public Institution such as CUNY for those who have never set foot on an island (other than Manhattan) The Sutton Institute can be a place whereby they can learn about the waters surrounding NYC. It can be geared towards research or education or whatever is most sorely needed. In any event, your legacy will live on!
41
total waste of money. Just the fact that sea rises mean the value of the island is burning cash! I would personally build a stone tower yacht club for billionaire yacht to dock there overnight with an open deck restaurant view overlooking everything!
8
@pipperdonnie
That's a good idea. I'd gouge them for docking fees to boot.
7
File this one under- "The journey or quest is everything; the arrival or achievement of the goal is always a disappointment." Dr. Sutton is a serial entrepreneur type of dude.
16
@Richard Katz
""The journey or quest is everything; the arrival or achievement of the goal is always a disappointment."
I guess you're paraphrasing the poet Constantine Cavafy who in "Ithaka" makes the point that if you're disappointed in your island destination, do not worry -- it has given you the marvelous journey.
And eventually, if you don't hurry on your way, you'll have gained much and will understand what Ithakas mean.
Sounds about right for the doctor. Maybe not so much for the commenters here.
6
I have a bridge I can sell him . . .
10
What was the issue at SUNY Downstate that he exposed?
9
So "No man is an island" is true?
4
More money than sense - good thing he was a pathologist so he could not do much harm to his clientele.
6
I guess if I wanted that special non-tropical private island experience, I would stay at a lighthouse -
https://uslhs.org/fun/lighthouse-accommodations
Some of the lighthouses even offer week-long 'volunteer light keeper' opportunities, so you can paint, pick up beach trash, repair broken railings etc as you vacation.
Dr. Sutton - check out the lighthouse in 'Rural Newfoundland'!
Seems like a much better bargain.
10
But aren’t there palm trees on Staten Island? Islands like Rat can’t be far behind.
1
I have been to Nantucket and the wilds of Martha's Vineyard and to be completely honest.....Nothing compares to the outer reaches of Cape Cod. Plus, and this is a LARGE one, you can motor, via automobile, off the Cape at any point.
6
To quote from a song: "No man is an island..."
@Jean Perry. Did you read this article? By the way, it started as a poem long ago. (This was mentioned in the article.)
2
Dr. Sutton might be a good real estate developer, but he obviously is a lousy salesman.
I love the idea of owning an island but, after reading his comments, I wouldn't touch this place with a 12 foot pole.
17
And billions of human beings are struggling every day to put a meal on the table for their children. What is wrong with this picture?
12
"More recently, there were rumors that Mr. Trump’s daughter Ivanka was interested in Rat Island..."
Sounds appropriate somehow...
38
Hmmm...climate change? Warming seas? Rising waters. Expensive bathtub.
10
Rat Island? Could it be the rats are abandoning the ship of state after they loot it ?
8
So much good could have been done with that kind of money. So much for so many. This kind of reminds me of Alcatraz albeit with better accommodations. What a waste and to think one day it will all be under water.
12
The saddest thing on Earth: a man who has become obscenely wealthy through passive investments that do little or nothing for the common good, with profits enhanced by our ridiculous tax laws, which favor 'rents' over labor -- only to be left forlorn and disappointed with his expensive playthings.
My heart bleeds for the man.
22
other sign that the housing market has peaked.
3
If you don't want neighbors save yourself some money and don't buy an island. There is plenty of land in rural America miles away from anyone. But as those that live in these areas know you want neighbors no matter how far away. You survive the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune by having help from others. You help your neighbor they help you, it's the unwritten law of survival. No Man or Women is an island. Though it seems women are less inclined to be an island? Just more common sense from the female half of the human race?
11
All I have to say is, good luck with rising sea levels who ever owns the island next.
11
The kitchen design is something only a retired pathologist could love, it looks as sterile as a hospital setting.
I guess the motto here is be careful what you wish for.
22
@Mr. Bantree, I disagree. That kitchen is extremely high end and is a gorgeous, modern design. It does lack personal possessions to warm it up — a large vase of flower, perhaps, or an organic looking, hand-thrown bowl holding fruit, tile art on the far wall — but the design is impeccable.
13
If you don't want neighbors save yourself some money and don't buy an island. There is plenty of land in rural America miles away from anyone. But as those that live in these areas know you want neighbors no matter how far away. You survive the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune by having help from others. You help your neighbor they help you, it's the unwritten law of survival. No Man or Women is an island. Though it seems women are less inclined to be an island? Just more common sense from the female half of the human race?
Mr. Sutton, I feel your pain. I'd love to have the opportunity to show you how to enjoy it. I've found over my life time, that things that come easily to some, need to be introduced and learned by others. I hope that eventually you will find a way to enjoy your good fortune.... before you decide to just sell it. If you have a family, perhaps they can help you enjoy your new paradise. If not, sign me up! You look like my kind of guy :-)
6
Until he sells the island, it would be a great location for weekend workshops.
3
I've paddled a kayak past this and other Pelham Islands several times; it's easy to reach, with much interesting history. In some ways it's a dream, a home running on solar panels and as "off the grid" as possible, but a bit pricey, so, only for the rich.
It's interesting that Trump was interested in Davids Island; it's been in limbo for years because at one point it was home to a power plant, and cleaning up the leftover toxicity has been a challenge to any development effort, including making it a park.
Pea Island has a Swing on it.
I was with a group once paddling back to City Island, and as we passed Rat Island we saw some people with video cameras - it was a Swiss media team interviewing the owner.
Now if only Hart Island was at least partially opened as a public park, we'd have a great base from which to explore so much of the rest of NYC's maritime history.
13
When I wrote for NearSay, the online magazine about New York, I wrote an extensive article about the colonial history and the origin of the name, Rat Island. The owner, Alex Schibli, thanked me for the article. These islands were vital in the security of New York during the piracy and war eras.
10
Why doesn't he donate it to the city or to a worthy cause? In his mid eighties--when is it time to give to others if not now?
Make it into a rehab house for teens. The kitchen is certainly big enough!
23
I live on a sort of land island, in the mountains. I love the solitude. But it takes a particular kind of person to not freak out or dissolve into depression, in a place like this. A tiny island like the one shown might make even solipsistic me feel jumpy at times. It lacks places to take long walks, and to feel fully unencumbered by responsibilities. It lacks trees. And probably has no land birds (I see a gull, but that’s a lot like a sea pigeon). I think the sea wall around that Columbia Island house would make me feel cooped up. But as a part-time home and a place to have parties, the island would be amazing. Maybe not in the dead of winter, though. Or when you need to get to a hospital really quickly. I suppose there is a helicopter pad for that.
10
Sorry, Dr. Sutton, this is not about a dream realized, this is just about excess. I'm surprised that a man of your good fortune, and actual accomplishments, would squander all that money on such a limited vision. But, don't worry; someone else with similar monetary fortune and sense of self-indulgence will snap up your islands. Now is the time for you to turn to using your talents and still-full coffers to something that is worthy and fulfilling. Why not build or renovate 2,000 modest single-family homes and gift them to solid working-class families whose lives would be transformed by the security and certainty of home ownership? That would be an enduring legacy worthy of your name.
341
Not gift them. Price them fairly and offer affordable payment plans. Unlike what Republicans think, most people like to work and pay for their way.
68
@Felicia Bragg
Who are you to decide what someone else should do with his money?!?
30
@Laidback It is only a suggestion. A good one, at that. Though I do agree with @Rosie about not "gifting," but pricing affordably. Enduring legacy and life of meaning.
30
My step father was actually the contractor for this project for *many* years. While we can all agree it was a tremendous waste of money I'd like to thank the owner for keeping my step father employed all that time!
830
@loscheiner Sounds like the Profession of Faith at the Church of Supply-Side Economics.
18
Perfect for the Zombie Apocalypse, but not much else. Best wishes, Sir. Also, the bit about Rat Island and Ivanka is truly priceless. You really can’t make this “ stuff “ up.
Seriously.
475
@Phyliss Dalmatian How is that priceless? 20+ years ago, a person had an interest in buying a property but eventually did not buy said property. This happens multiple times a day, every day, everywhere in the world.
Outside of her name, what does that add to the story?
11
Perhaps some of us giggle at the idea of Ivanka on an island with rats.
87
I'm more relieved she doesn't own a place so close.
Crisis averted! *wipes brow*
18
"A fool and his money are soon departed!"
3
"Soon parted." But okay.
You could say the same for misguided poor people putting their money up their noses instead of using it for better purposes.
1
@Eric... hardly. that island will sell in a heartbeat
I'm 67, retiring to my own private island would be my last possible choice. Especially one that looks so much like a mini prison. I know, we love our privacy, but being around other people keeps the brain exercised, and it would be a severe pain in the butt to to to the grocery, get a shipment from Amazon, or go to the doctor. All things that we "old" people need to do.
Good luck, Doc, trying to get that much money out of that white elephant. For that kind of money, you could have had a really nice home on Lake Tahoe. With hoity toity neighbors!
8
Something good did come of Dr. Sutton's investment: this photo by James Estrin.
5
Quite the projective test for us readers with conflicts about how wealth in these disunited States is accumulated and dispersed.
The co-founder of Home Depot was recently profiled about his plans to disperse his billions. The fact that a pittance of his billions went to the current GOP/Trump campaign in 2016 and 2020, prompted a similar hue and cry in the comments section.
To paraphrase the GOP’s Jesus Christ, surely in vain, “The rich you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want, since you really aren’t interested in my recorded words.” Mark 14:7 (bastardized text.)
2
The irony of Ivanka Trump being interested in purchasing Rat Island is delicious beyond imagination.
27
Some people have more money than brains; more money than heart; more money than what meets the eye ...
4
What a waste of money, you would think that an educated person would know better....it will be under water soon enough anyway....
5
Be careful of what you wish for...you just may get it.
This strikes me as a catastrophically stupid investment given that NYC is set to spend half a billion or so to stem anticipated sea level rise from climate change.
12
My partner is working on a house project that has taken many years and thousands of dollars more than he originally anticipated. I think now it's just about finishing what he started (and the bonus of finally being able to share the house with friends and family, which I truly look forward to!). I can imagine the challenge of changing this barren station was hard to resist, and as every problem presented itself, the expenses mounted. This site is difficult because it has no greenery or outdoor space. Did anyone take a look at the other island for sale mentioned in the article? It's quite lovely and might change your mind about private island residences: https://www.christiesrealestate.com/sales/detail/170-l-78183-1805101311556549/1-potato-island-branford-ct-06405
5
You mean there's no Thoreauvian bliss to be found on a guano-slicked postage stamp of concrete surrounded by polluted urban chop? Color me shocked!
21
Not judging but fantasizing: I would have built retreats for the 9/11 first responders. What a feeling and legacy that would be.
8
Is it just me or does what is being called Colombia Island look like a concrete barge?
14
Just hope he's not heating it through the winter. He's wasted enough resources already.
1
Lord, the trials and tribulations of the wealthy.
9
The comments here are so dreary. Have folks really lost their senses of romance, adventure, and imagination so badly? What do you all do that is not absurd and pointless? At least this is interesting. The self righteousness in these comments is appalling. You should all look hard in the mirror.
I for one will take the colorful foibles of a single eccentric over the whole lot of you small minded stone throwers.
42
@Andrew
Easy there, Andy. People aren't throwing stones so much as reflecting on the relativity of things. If this story had been published in say, 2012, Im not sure even twenty readers would have commented.
But, when this story is juxtaposed with what's going on in the taxpayer-funded detention camps, it's not hard to see why so many are irritated by this piece.
Not only is it another reminder of the abysmal and ever-widening gap between the haves and have-nots, it is also a reminder that money doesn't buy happiness and how almost everyone is in some way wasteful.
Like others, I don't have a problem with this guy spending his money anyway he sees fit, but Doc Sutton's closing statement indicates he really had no clue what he was doing at the time of purchase.
17
I don't see any "reflecting" in most of the comments here -- just a lot of mud-slinging and name calling.
So the doctor wanted an island adventure, had the place worked on for years until he realized he'd gotten too old for adventure, and now needs to let it go.
We all have to let things go -- disappointment with how our kids turned out or how no one at our job appreciates us, the realization that the morals and mores of today aren't what we grew up with, the fact that we're going to die without seeing the places we'd always wanted to see.
Leave the doctor alone. Save your bitterness for how your own lives have turned out and how you could have done better.
11
@Maurice S. Thompson First, your transposing my name to "Andy" is both condescending and patronizing. Second, you do know that I am using "stone-throwers" metaphorically? Third, who amongst us does "have a clue"?
But yes, I'll agree that we are ALL being wasteful in our absurd endeavors.
Again, I'll take visionary fools all day long over snide boring commenters such as Johnny from LA (just above)
As for the issue with with the detention centers, we are all complicit.
4
Ten years from now, it will be half under water so he better sell now.
6
Aw, the poor man is too poor to go to Mars, like all the really rich are working at, because they can't think of anything else to spend their obscene wealth on. (At least, that's what Jeff Bezos says as he works his employees to exhaustion. Hiring more people to carry the load clearly never occurred to him.)
5
@Veda Why would a business person hire two people to do the work of one?
That would be like paying two mechanics to work on your car where one just watches while the other works. Do you insist on that arrangement, and pay for twice as many hours of labor, if you take a vehicle in for repair?
If Amazon is working their employees harder than they care to work, they have a simple solution - just don't show up for work (or, if they are in a charitable mood, tell their supervisor "I quit" - and that may result in getting their final paycheck a bit more quickly).
I really doubt that Amazon is working their warehouse employees anywhere nearly as hard as many zero skill workers made 100 years ago. Humans really can work hard without dissolving into a puddle.
3
I have always been fascinated by all the tiny islands around Manhattan; especially those in the East River between The Bronx and Long Island (or Riker's). I remember when some young men drowned late one night trying to reach Hart Island, where the cemetery for homeless people is located. When I first moved to New York City in the late 1980s, the "Octagon" was still partially standing, on the extreme southern tip of Roosevelt Island. I believe it used to house an asylum in the 19th Century. I had a terrific view of it, as a landascaper working on several penthouse terraces facing the East River, just below Sutton Place. Lastly, it figures Trump tried to buy an island "back in the day", and it is hilarious they more recently wanted to purchase "Rat Island". What a perfect moniker.
7
So sad. Took him 85 years to learn he "can dream in a chair". Would it take him another 85 to realize that his legacy of love for unlimited wealth is also shallow? I much prefer a culture that uplifts our hearts and souls; the place where true happiness and peace reside. (p.s. I sincerely hope he teaches his kids to make different choices)
8
I have no problem with the doctor's lifestyle choices. He earned it, and he can do with it what he wants. It may be disappointing to some, but as long as we remain a free country, his choices remain his own. I would have that they are not my choices, but nobody asked so it won't.
That said, while I'm not in the market for a couple of islands, it would be great to visit them. Perhaps he can organize a guided tour. I would be on board with pleasure; the islands are in a beautiful section of the sound in good weather!
10
People probably told him he was wasting his money on his other real estate investments which have proven to yield the millions he's "thrown away" on this project. He'll probably be laughing (or at least chuckling) all the way to the bank. Again. Lack of affordable housing has nothing to do with his choices. That problem is an issue of public policy and investment, including tax structure, zoning, etc. Never going to solve that one (or most challenges) through private philanthropy.
5
Share the experience doc! Rent out your place on AirBnB or for private events. Most people who can afford it and want an exclusive space will pay to use the place. Let the rest of the crowd also experience the joy of a private island so close yet so elusive from Manhattan.
21
@Tara
You could do a great re-creation of "And Then There Were None." Like the "Murder on the Orient Express" train trips people take.
3
Invested $9.5, selling for $13. Just looks like an investment to me.
8
@JS He probably won't make money on it. Can't imagine the cost of taxes + upkeep on this place. I doubt the $8.5M took that kind of stuff into account.
2
If he looses money on this (and he will/has), he can take a tax break off it, just like Trump does.
There needs to be some kind of exception to real estate investments for *pleasure* that says, if you buy say, an island as a second home or vacation home, and spend millions fixing it up, and sell it at a loss, you *still* pay taxes on it!
29
@Mr. Point
And I assume you would also exclude capital losses on stock investments? After all, the shareholder is just buying the stock in hopes of increasing her future pleasure by having more money?
Nope -- if the capital gain is taxed, the loss should be a capital deduction. Although, perhaps we would agree that the exclusion for the first $250K/$500K of gain on the sale of one's home should be eliminated -- that's a giant loophole. It should return to only being deferred to the extent you purchase a replacement home within a couple years that is worth as much or more (and, of course, the basis in your new home is reduced by the amount that you have deferred the gain).
And, perhaps we would agree that the step-up in basis when heirs inherit property should be eliminated -- that's another giant loophole.
Remember, all that money he spent upgrading this island created jobs both for workers on the project and workers making the products used (along with the middlemen in between). Those wages were taxed and those people had the opportunity to enjoy life a little more because they had a little more money in their pocket. Do you want to discourage people from spending money improving things and creating jobs?
4
And this is glaring proof that the wealthy 1%ers need to be taxed more. The dude throws millions of dollars away to build a house on a tiny island that even he doesn't want. And now all that money is just sitting there wasted.
72
@Libby He invest under 10 million and is listing it for 13 million. It was an investment, and profits are probably going to be realized. The problem is, that doesn't make for a very good story, so they leaned heavily into the fact he never used it.
13
@Libby
I'm not an accountant, tax expert etc, so please do your own research.
But my understanding is NY State property taxes are among the highest (if not the highest) in the country, and comparatively very high compared to most other countries.
When he sells this property the government will likely get about 60%.
60%
If you tax the 1% any more than this, many of them will move their holdings to other countries, (they have the means to do that) and then our government will have even less tax revenue for social reform.
Something like this happened in Paris, when they tried to instill a tax that was over 80%
His islands are off the coast of New Rochelle---if his property tax went to that school district it would be a great thing, as many of the public schools in that area are struggling. His current property taxes are likely hundreds of thousands of dollars each year and funding the public school system.
Those islands are more valuable to the state of NY and 'the people' with him owning it, rather than if the government did. The government doesn't tax itself.
7
@Libby I'm inclined to agree and I'm conservative. What a waste of time, money, etc. I'm always amazed at the wealthy who acquire properties, gut them, and then immediately sell them only to buy something else. Some wealthy folks are void of true happiness and are always in search of it by spending more and more on the latest and greatest.
9
Yes, yes, yes.....he can do what he wants with his money.
But there is no escaping the fact that he could have made a major difference in this world had he used this toward a philanthropic goal.
Go look at GoFundMe and take in the large number of people with serious illness that this country's system is bankrupting. He could improve someone's life economically over and over again. Someone who is suffering greatly. Swing and a miss, doc.
63
@Joanne
How do you know he HASN't made a "major difference in this world?"
How do you know he hasn't founded charities or done things anonymously?!?
What a ludicrous comment
7
@Joanne
So, anyone who buys something is a bad person because they could have given their money away??
Under the same standard, every meal you've eaten should have been given to someone else....
5
@Laidback. Maybe he did make charitable donations, but he also did spend $8 million on that useless eyesore. That seems like a lot of resources to waste on a whim.
1
I think that the reason why people react so strongly to the good doctor's choice of building project is not that he did not earn his money admirably, not that he became rich, and not that he built something and employed people in the process.
It is that the money is wasted, as it is, at least in part, with all over-the-top houses like this. A smaller house would be enough. Why not build a great home for much less, and then spend the remainder on a building project that matters... like a new hospital facility, or a school, or a cultural center... Something that advances human society, as opposed to being an object that is just for the person themselves... And yes, I know many will say: his money, his choice. But if our society values these choices, then we are in even worse trouble than we seem to be.
86
@Malcolm
How do you know that he hasn't built a hospital or school or whatever YOU think is the "right" thing to do with his money??
16
@Malcolm If you drive and could afford it, would you have bought a Yugo or a Honda? A Yugo is "enough" - it got you from point A to point B. The money saved could have been donated to a charity for the homeless.
Who is the arbitrator of "enough"? By the standards of the majority of the population in some countries, the typical American home, condo, or apartment is WAY more than "enough". 75 years ago, very few homes in the US had air conditioning, now, depending on the region of the US, 65% to 95% do. Clearly air conditioning is not "necessary" and a home without it is "enough" (and also reduces the carbon footprint of the home). In the area I live, Habitat for Humanity homes don't have air conditioning except when the government requires it so we know it's "enough" not to have it.
If you have kids and rent/own a place, do you put your kids two to a bedroom (common, BTW, back in the fifties and sixties even in the middle class - so not doing so is obviously "wasteful") and the let homeless people sleep in the freed up bedroom(s)? Why not?
From observation, it's amazing how easy it appears to be to be sanctimonious with regards to how other people spend their money - ironically having drunk one or more $3 Starbucks cups of coffee in the prior month. I hope you're not one of those people.
16
Maybe if he wasn't so concerned with money, he might enjoy the paradise that he has right in front of him!
4
@Dave-
A beautiful view, to be sure; one-of-a-kind. But it’s a tiny, desolate place; the lifestyle, a form of internal exile.
Roman emperors used to punish close relatives who had displeased them — wayward daughters especially — not with death but by confining them to small islands in the middle of nowhere to live out their days — alone, isolated. Very cruel.
6
@Steve Singer Doesn't sound like he has a lot of vision for himself to choose and island like that, but his ego got the better of him.
2
For all the commenters put there decrying this man's "hubris" and his wasting of money, his sense of entitlement, and the general sickening, disgusting behavior of rich people --
Let me tell you that some poor people's behavior is also sickening and disgusting. I've seen it and heard it walking beneath my windows and squatting next to my car, firsthand.
The guy made money, and it's an archetypal boyhood dream to live on an island.
He has the grace to admit he was mistaken.
As for me, I'd love to have lived my life in a more beautiful place, but I am the first to admit I chose the wrong profession after college.
47
@B.
You went to college. Good for you. Wouldn’t it be better for society as a whole that this man wouldn’t spend millions of dollars on an island home he didn’t spend any time and, instead, sit on a comfortable chair and give his money to send young adults to college they can’t afford?
I know it’s this man’s money and he can do whatever pleases him. However sharing his egocentric self-serving este in the NYT exposes him to the comments me and others are making.
4
@BWCA
Yes, I went to college. Had scholarships to do so. It isn't a matter of "good for you." I just don't believe that if you make money honestly and give to charity (and we do not know that this doctor isn't charitable) that you are criminally negligent for not doing what the hoi polloi think you should do.
For heaven's sake, it isn't as if he had half a dozen bankruptcies and left the guys who lent him money holding the bag.
4
More houseboat than island.
15
Looks more like a prison than a home. What an unbelievably dreary place so no wonder he's only spent one night.
19
@Bookpuppy they could turn it into a prison and solve overcrowding.
1
I am a homeowner of a two-family row house in Brooklyn. The idea that the mere existence of the apartment downstairs puts me in a position to make decisions that substantially affect others' lives is fraught for me. (For context, I was a pro bono anti-eviction attorney for awhile.) But an island?! The mere notion that it is for sale for only private use is something I fundamentally object to. It should be like federal lands: available for common use, not someone's oasis that only a privileged someone can enjoy. Just the fact that the homeowner in this article has only spent one night there but the place looks spectacular is a testament to the excess. Snooze fest!
105
@SF Atty What's the difference between owning 2 acres of property surrounded by water and 2 acres of property surrounded by streets and other buildings? Why is one an "excess" and the other not?
49
@SF Atty I'm curious to know, *who* in the past actually owned these islands -- and how -- that they are "available for sale". did some old time robber baron wannabe row out to them and stick a flag or pennant into the soil and then row back and file a deed of some sort? seems crazy to me. they are mostly rocky, inaccessible and barren. rich men's playthings...an $8 million building project. and one night? may as well have made it out of legos or even sand... bah!
12
@SF Atty Oasis' can come in many shapes/forms, why would an island be any different? Also, have you seen this thing on google earth. If it didn't have a fancy house on it I'm not sure why anyone would want to spend any time there.
6
Years ago, early 1970’s, my friends and I rented skiffs on City Island and would row out into the Sound for fun and fishing. We stopped on Columbia Island a couple of times to explore the abandoned building. Dr Sutton must have had a powerful imagination to believe that such a dreary and forlorn bit of rock and concrete could be beautiful. Well, I suppose 8 million dollars can turn just about anything into a silk purse.
259
@Paco varela
... until rising sea level drowns it. Funny that the article didn't say anything about that.
124
@herzliebster: Which is one good reason to try to sell it now, and to someone who believes that global climate change is a hoax.
83
"Full kitchen"? Compared with what most people get by with in New York City apartments, that's like three kitchens.
Given that it's barely been used, I imagine one day someone may find a half-empty bottle of mustard in the fridge.
35
@Charlie
It looks like a commercial kitchen but to what end? The good doctor has no sense of proportion.
1
Making large amounts of money is an obsession for some. Then they realize, something's missing. I'm still waiting for our Emperor to come to that realization.
For now it's just a classy roosting location for the gulls.
20
@arthur
Since you mention him, please let me opine that he's not the emperor but rather a stooge planted in our lives by (and with pockets lined by) people with dirty money who couldn't care less how his public presence harms the country. It's interesting that the two financial ventures by his family that are mentioned in this article were both failures. I think there are only a handful of arguable "successes" in his many years of moving money around. (Other people's money, that is, which I suspect is what the lost $500K deposit on Davids Island was.)
10
@Jonathan
I have a feeling he's going to win again. Not for anything else but for the sheer fact that he can engender such disparagement by the sensible people.
For all their intelligence, no one else comes close on the Dems side in creating that kind of passion. Maybe his supporters live vicariously through his sticking to us sentient beings. Go team!
Yes, I am just rehashing what has already been put forth for a long while now.
2
@arthur I think sticking the ol' thumb in the eye of the mythical lib'rals is a primary motivation in this. If worse comes to worst, we can weather four more years. The pendulum always swings, as we've seen. In the meantime, talk all you can about the importance of turnout, and don't worry if the people who hear you are in so-called "votes don't matter" states.
2
Your life. Your resources. Your dreams. C'est la vie.
15
Poor fella......lost his mind to hubris...then his money. It's an old story..as old as ancient Greece.
9
Gee, so much hate and envy; not to mention the "I know better" people.
What if the man spent two nights? or three weeks? How many would make you happy?
Most of us proportionally waste money. Ever buy a lotto ticket? knowing the odds? What's wrong with you? Why didn't you give that money to the poor or to some charity? Why don't you do as I say.....?
37
Please let me have his problems.
19
Sickening
6
Hold on. Let me go grab my change jar.
7
He could use his money or his islands for that thought to house all the illegal aliens. Problem solved. Can we please move on to impeachment?
18
This would be a perfect place for Trump's presidential library !
230
@allison And what, pray tell, would be found in the library of a man who does not read?
46
@allison - no, it's too big.
19
@Clyde Put the books in the kitchen - there must be at least one empty shelf
12
Although apparently earned and then increased with experience, this person may nevertheless become the latest example of "wealth distribution" (up), here and globally. Gee, what problems these people now have! I thank the NYT for giving us another reason to get out and vote for certain candidates.
16
@akhenaten2
I don't know the guy but it sounds like he studied hard to become a doctor and used his earnings to buy up buildings no one wanted, then fixed them up to earn a profit (at great financial risk). Not sure how that qualifies as "wealth distribution" but good luck supporting candidates that are against people making an honest buck.
14
He can do whatever he wants with his money. He earned it and if that's what he wanted who are you to say differently?
25
Are any of the celebrities and ultra rich who claim they are against and in fact work to prevent climate change ever going to lower their carbon foot print? DiCaprio owns a huge number of enormous homes including one in the desert yet he advocates against climate change and for people to alter their energy consuming behavior?
19
Thank goodness for the eccentrics of the world. Not only do they make it far more interesting, they pave the way for all the rest of us.
12
Eccentrics of the world are gifts to make us think about what we are and are not.
However I am gobsmacked to think of such folk paving my way unless it’s a speedy dash away from this kind of admired people.
What is it about this eccentric you wish to admire?
2
@BS: "... pave the way for the rest of us" indeed. When the "paving" involves nature's pristine wilderness, one should question its environmental and moral values. Too often in this country one's property rights are considered sacrosanct, even when it adversely impacts others. I saw this play out multiple times in the one year I spent living in Oregon. People were allowed to desecrate their properties by logging even though it made their communities ugly and unworthy of stopping in except for gas or if a bathroom was needed. But the effects of one property owner's logging on tourism and his neighbors didn't matter. A community's environmental, aesthetic and economic rights must give way to the right to log or "pave" one's own property.
It does not appear, however, that Dr. Sutton's desire to "pave" his island property contravened any environmental or aesthetic considerations or interests of the surrounding communities--at least none were reported in this story. He simply allowed himself to be carried away financially by his dreams and his imagination. I wish we knew more why he stayed only one night in his island dream home. Perhaps we would not see him as the pitiable person this story paints him.
65
@Jamie Nichols
Good heavens. He didn't pave anything. The existing, old building takes up most of the island.
The other, second island is pristine.
2
Smart that he used technology from Norway so that the house can withstand strong storms.
Maybe more structures in USA need that, with storms worsening with climate change!
26
If the simplest errand becomes a chore.
After awhile life becomes a bore.
7
Why am I not surprised that ivanka trump was interested in buying Rat Island?
I guess she wasn't able to make the auction because she was discussing world economic policy with Christine Lagarde.
39
An "island" without fawn and flora is just an overpriced barge.
20
He might have kept it had he ever fished there!I've kayak fished casting distance from his island. Such a fishery: stripers, blackfish, fluke, and it's carpeted in porgies about now. Talk about oblivious to wealth.
5
such are the problems suffered from excessive first world affluence .
17
@Roberto
Who did he create a problem for?
He make turn a profit so its not a problem for him or his heirs. It wasn't a problem for the contractors who did the work. It wasn't a problem for the taxing authorities that collected property taxes (and will ow collect more off the higher valuation).
So, I forget, who got hurt?
2
Further proof of the frequent folly of extreme wealth.
12
Gosh Dr. Sutton, that sounds super dreamy. Why not invite folks over to spend time there. Maybe an airbnb or something. If you have more bedrooms, then you stay as host, get to chat with different folks, get a cook and you get to have meals with so many interesting people and of course make some money. So what if you are 85, as a doctor you know the limitations of the human body. Get a housekeeper to stay there and take care of the home. You, can sit and dream, it is everyone’s idea to have enough money to dream with. As for instant medical care...at least I am of the belief, it’s a good thing to be farther away from hospitals. That way if you die, one dies happily without having zealous doctors bandaid up broken body parts that leave you more miserable than before. And if you wish to improve the house, do it, what on earth did you make money for if it was not to stimulate your own intellect.
14
Who would buy it now when anyone with a brain knows that it will be under water in 10 to 20 years.
14
@Lorne Berkovitz
It's amazing that you "know" this - being able to see the future must be great
2
@Lorne Berkovitz
No serious climate model predicts such a rapid increase in water level in 10 or 20 years.
1
@Lorne Berkovitz
Assuming that the views are pretty good, I think there are plenty of people, for whom money is not a care, who would go for it. Sounds like he's already had a lot of the necessary work done.
There's a place on the Pacific Coast in Washington State called Washaway Beach, where average people buy modest homes with spectacular oceanfront views knowing that erosion is going to make them fall into the sea in 5-10 years. They do it for a once-in-a-lifetime experience - as I said, these aren't wealthy people.
No doubt the silly doctor will get his asking price.
1
Nothing like having money to spare or waste.
8
$8 million spent on an "island" with a building that looks like a dilapidated flour mill sitting on top of a ramshackle concrete pier. Kind of debunks the belief that with age comes wisdom...
18
I feel so sorry for him NOT.
4
The guy spends the first 30 years of his live in school, the next 30 years killing himself earning all that dough, and then when he's old enough to actually enjoy it, he doesn't know what to do with it! This is the workaholic syndrome. Strangers in a strange land who have lost perspective. Children in adult bodies. Welcome to the world of Elvis, Jacko, Sir Paul...
14
All these folks buying up property and sitting on it.. boasting of condo conversions.. and so many in need of affordable housing.
12
Very strange man. But then, it takes all kinds...
3
Dang....
I knew doctors can make a good living but.... Wow! This is in another class.
7
@DLL42
Did you read the article?!?
2
I give him credit for owning up to his hubris. It sounds like an awful place to live. And on only 2 acres?! Woof. It served zero purpose except ego. He’ll probably have no problem unloading it. There’s no shortage of moneyed folks in NYC looking for ways to show off.
19
How about a campgrounds for kids from less fortunate backgrounds - that would be a legacy worth all that money. Kayaking/sailing in the summer with the cool breeze and minutes from the city. These islands may be just “rocks” to some but they are truly an oasis compared to spending the summer in a walk up apartment in the Bronx.
42
If there was ever a case for stating that some people simply have too much money, this is the case. He paid $1 million for the island, then added another $8 million in upgrades, and bought another island nearby. And what does all that add up to? He spent one night there at the place where he imagined he'd have great thoughts. Hmm, here's a thought: Raise taxes, close loopholes, and thereby protect the rich from themselves. Paternalism is sometimes necessary.
112
This island must be just lovely in winter, getting blasted by the cold winds coming off the water, not to mention the salt water spray. No amount of protection will keep everything from corroding quickly.
I’ve lived on St Croix, a island the size of Manhattan, you go rock happy pretty quickly.
12
In addition to my long fascination with small islands, I was also struck by the fact that the owner was able to spend $ 8 million (apparently without crimping his lifestyle), with all that money made from speculation with New York City real estate. Unlike the Donald, he started out well-off, but not with many, many millions from his daddy. So, to me, this story illustrates a lot of what's wrong in our city: some people made and make oodles of money playing Monopoly, and the rest of us get to pay the bulk of the taxes that finance the infrastructure (police, fire department, MTA..) that makes this boom possible in the first place. Some of that infrastructure (subway) hasn't been kept up so well, so it's time to collect some overdue contributions.
71
The doctor is like a child who wants an expensive toy, just because he sees it. Once he got his "toy", he was immediately bored with it.
80
Clearly a doctor who does not make house calls. Nor apparently island calls. I wish him many more years of good health.
4
@Milton Lewis
Remember that the Doctor is a pathologist turned real-estate investor. Don't want any house -calls by him:)
13
Huge amount of vitriol on here for a man who seems to have made his money honestly. Works hard as a doctor, displays integrity to expose a billing scam, and spends the money he's earned on real estate projects.
It seems these days that having a bank account is considered by many to be evil.
146
@Ami Well, we don't know if he made his money honestly. We can't assume that. But if he did, hats off to him and he can spend his money on anything he wants. Either way, I found it an interesting story to hear about the challenges that building on an isolated strip of land in the sea can pose. Die hard libertarians take note. The government actually provides a lot of very useful things...
31
@Ami I don't begrudge him his money. I do think he has spent it unwisely. That's all. He seems to think so as well.
Perhaps people wouldn't dislike the uber wealthy so much if they simply had to pay their fair share of taxes. I certainly had to.
50
It’s not about evil. It’s about injustice. Working parents in poverty, kids going hungry, and people living on the streets are not abstractions. These are our neighbors. And the fundamental truth that we as a nation cannot accept is that the only thing separating us all is chance of birth. I am sure this doctor worked hard. But he also grew up in privileged circumstances, at the very least as a man and a white person. It is fair and just to say, perhaps no one really needs to spend such sums on an uninhabited fantasy island when kids go hungry at night just a boat ride away.
40
Ah, the rich. It's all about them. Spend millions on a home, then spend one night there. Sure, it's their money and they can spend it any way they like. I just wish that once in a while they'd like to do something for someone other than themselves.
65
@Ms. Pea Think of all the contractors, trades and laborers who were employed by Mr. Sutton. What a great thing. As my friend Andy once said, if you want to get out of poverty find something people with money want and sell it to them. You ask if, once in a while, rich people would do something for someone other than themselves. They do it every day. Be glad for it.
40
@Steve
" As my friend Andy once said, if you want to get out of poverty find something people with money want and sell it to them."
In most cases, one must have funds to invest in "something people with money want".
14
@Steve: These rich people get rich by finding something poor people need and then selling it to them over and over and over again.
The rich are not some magic beings who just appear to shower money out of some sort of generosity on the undeserving populace. They get rich off of us. Yes, it is good contractors and tradesman got work. Better it would be for a dozen homes be built for other people.
15
The listing details the school district. If a family with school age children bought the island, would it be the district’s responsibility to get the child to school?
17
No if school is more than a mile away. On reality, if I have 8 mil to drop on a house, pretty sure my kids would not be going to public school.
3
.Think it through, private school is a choice. Public school is a right. A child living on that island has the right to public school and all it offers.
Usually, school provided transportation is required if child lives more than 1 mile from school or has a dangerous commute, like having to cross railroad tracks. Seems like this has the latter, certainly.
Just wondering if the choice to live there includes taxpayers helping to foot the bill. Taxes north of $43k/ year would pay for a boat or two over time but really, is it the obligation of the school district to get this imaginary kid to school using public funds?
1
Even Ben Franklin once said something along the lines of, "the old build houses not to live in, but for the muse of it". At 80 years old, recognizing his own fragile mortality and just years before his death, he was designing and building a 3 story mansion on his property in Philadelphia. Not because he expected to live in it for any length of time, but because he had the resources, and found some intellectual joy and muse in designing and building it, an improvement over the older one.
34
@MH I prefer what the Prince of Wales, who is 70ish, did after the birth of his first grandchild: start planting trees. Well, actually, he had other people plant trees on his properties, which, by his current assessment, amount to a small forest. That's a useful bit of dreaming for the future, and much better than money thrown away on a building created to survive whatever Mother Nature throws at it - for now.
42
It's a cool idea, but not for a private owner. It'd be a great spot for an intense retreat!
8
Two submarine cables plus generators back before 1960 when the island was in use. I guess permitting cables is more difficult these days. If the building retains its original surrounding radio shielding, it might appeal to some wealthy anti-emf nut. All that copper was probably scrapped when the station relocated, so that leaves one less buyer. Maybe Ivanka, in her new role as global statesman, would turn it into a practice version of a foreign country. Just throwing out ideas. Or an Elba for her dad; one tourists could see from the shore.
132
I would never live on that little island. I like my neighbors – they are always ready to lend a hand with some heavy lifting, to borrow or loan tools, and to drink a cold beer. Who doesn’t want that?
43
@Koyote - I don't. I prefer privacy, which I obtain through stone walls, landscaping and iron gates, not mention several acres between me and my neighbors. Neighbors are fine at a distance.
46
True, DRS, and especially now because of the marijuana stench everywhere.
Wish I had your acreage. But with my luck, I'll buy a house only to discover that the pumpkin patch next door will be turned into a marijuana farm in the near future . . . .
2
Excellent! I'll go snap them up. (joke)
1
And Trump lost his $500,000 deposit. LOL, made my day, while proving that everything, indeed, is about the Donald.
117
@MJ2G And everything he touches is another failure.
23
@MJ2G I'm sure he figured out a way to deduct that loss on his taxes too.
9
Not a bad idea to get out now before both islands are underwater for good
135
@Wesley Rogers Then a millionaire can raise the island onto stilts like most bungalos by the seaside these days, and build another home at the top. And of course stay just one night, too lonely out there surrounded by water up to your heavy reinforced- meal Norwegian front door, side door and back door!
it never ceases to amaze me what people will waste money on.
49
Rich people problems, pass the beer nuts.
278
My goodness, if someone doesn’t understand the words ‘wasted money’ this story could help...
56
@robert
Why is it "wasted"?? Because YOU think he should have done something different with it?!?
It's his money, he can do whatever he wants with it, and the only one who can decide if he "wasted it" is him
2
@Laidback: You don't sound very laid back.
3
No thanks! It would seem personally owning an island would be an albatross to satisfy the inner Moby Dick for some investors.
9
Has he never heard of rising sea levels caused by global warming?
44
He did. That’s why he’s selling it. In some parts of the country, not informing potential buyers of known problems is fraud.
3
@M Davis Or fires? Did he ever take the boat tour of the Thousand Islands of the St Lawrence?
@M Davis For people with that much disposable income, global warming is a hoax.
2
Where's my checkbook?
7
“It’s not about me or my wishes or dreams any more. I can dream in a chair.”
What took you so long to come to reason?
94
@mutabilis Probably the thought of impending death. Wasted time, wasted money...
10
All that expense, and only one night.
That says a lot about the man...
51
@j s
What about the fact that he spent years of study to become a doctor? What about all the good he has done in his profession? What about his high rates of return in other real estate investments? You're a very poor judge of character.
1
@BSB: It's not judging someone's character to note that, at age 70, a person embarked on an extraordinarily expensive project, seemingly on the "whim" of "I thought I would have great thoughts out here."
I would only say that most of humanity, when it has "great thoughts," is able to have those thoughts in their living room, in the shower, while on a walk, on the subway, or on vacation. Some of the greatest thoughts (including ones that resulted in Nobel-prize winning break-throughs) happened to people while they were dreaming in their sleep.
I don't know what the good doctor is (or was) searching for, but I wonder if he ever consulted a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist about his desire to have "great thoughts," to discover what that meant for him & how he could best try to achieve it. He might have found it for a lot less money that way. Or not.
4
Has Mr. Sutton heard of an outfit called Airbnb?
Can't imagine a better spot for it!
Priceless!
Even better? Strike a deal with the local SUNY to run it and use it for "experiential learning" . . .
60
Experiential Learning first offering: "How to avoid freezing your booty off during a NYC winter".
4
@Blackberry88 Yes, this is the type of unique location that would fit an Airbnb or even a bed and breakfast, Here in CA, we have East Brother Light Station which has a well-known B and B on it.
1
Wealthy Doctor wastes a fortune.
Thanks for sharing.
The article makes a good argument for both Senator Warren's and AOC's tax plans.
367
@manta666
Warren's and AOC's tax plan would merely squander the good doctor's fortune. Best to leave the money in his pocket to with as he wishes.
6
All the more reason to vote for Warren or Bernie. This man has wasted millions of dollars for something it turns out he doesn't event want. It should make people sick that people have this much wealth.
200
@Patrick
He "wasted" the money by paying companies and their workers to do work for him. That is, he plowed it into the local economy. Nothing wrong with that.
39
@Patrick - why? It's doesn't bother me in the slightest. It's his money to do with as he pleases.
27
@Patrick
Just to be fair, he didn't incinerate a giant pile of cash. He hired lots of people to do the work there. That's a lot of working-class people who now hold that cash. Better it be spent on stuff like this rather than sitting in a bank doing nothing.
297
Too many dollars, not enough sense.
167
A modern folly...?
For 8 million.
My word.
20
@J. Let's see what he sells these islands for before calling it a folly.
3
Ah, Fitzgerald was wrong! Rich people ARE just like you and me!
19
If he just wanted to throw away millions of dollars I could have taken it off his hands....
19
Yes, but instead he "gave" it to people who worked for it.
You know, electricians, carpenters, and so on.
7
I love those reverse FOMO articles. Keep them coming..
14
What money does; sad.
11
He will have all the peace and quiet (and security) he craves very soon. All the money in the world will not change the basic lessons of mortality. As the Buddha taught, peace of mind exists only inside of us.
94
I honestly don't know whether to laugh or cry.
But I have a suggestion. There are so many people who can't afford a tiny apartment.
Donate it to the city for affordable housing.
101
@Sophia what a perfect example of how ownership of material things is no route to happiness
25
Having visited a family-owned island in the St. Lawrence with a charming cabin nestled under a canopy of trees as green as my envy towards its owners, I looked forward to see how much island $13,000,000 would get you these days. A dismal, treeless, flat rock with an old radio transmitter building on it? Okayyyyyyy...
At least I don't feel a twinge of envy for this one.
183
@Bill Kowalski same thought. it looks like a barge with a brick square on it.
58
Really. It doesn’t look desirable as an artist’s retreat, a vacation getaway place or anything else appealing. Maybe it would make a luxury Alcatraz.
73
I sense the $13 million asking price is a bit high. About $13 million too high.
93