Don Bailey and his wife, Heather Althoff, recently moved from their vacation condominium with direct ocean views on the South End of Palm Beach — but they didn’t go far.
Their new apartment is in the building next door to 2600 S. Ocean Blvd, where they have owned Unit 302W since 2020.
“Literally, we see our current patio from the new patio,” Bailey says.
From Milburn, New Jersey, the couple is looking forward to spending time more time in Palm Beach. Bailey just retired from his position as CEO of insurance powerhouse AIG North America. And Althoff, who is semi-retired, is engaged in non-profits and initiatives, her husband explains.
“Our time in Florida will go substantially up going forward,” Bailey says.
And more time means a need for more space, not just for themselves but to host visiting family and friends, he says — hence the relocation to The Stratford.
It comes as no surprise, then, that they listed for sale their apartment at 2600 S. Ocean Blvd. in a development informally known as “The 2600 Building.” Their two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit is priced — furnished — at $1.95 million through Serhant agents Victoria Brewer and Gary Pohrer. The condo has 2,162 square feet of living space, inside and out, and will be sold with open-air parking for two cars.
Bailey doesn’t hesitate as he lists his and his wife’s initial attractions to the condo in The 2600 Building.
“We were looking for a two-bedroom (apartment), and we were looking for the views. It’s got stunning views — all ocean from the two bedrooms and the living room — and they’re all buttressed with a 500-square-foot patio, with plenty of room out there for lounging, dining and relaxing.
“So if you’re hanging out in Millburn, New Jersey, and it’s cold in the middle of January, and you go down (to the condo in The 2600 Building), that ocean just sells it. It’s just like: Wow, right on the ocean! You could sit out there and stare out into the ocean all day long — and often I’ve done that.”
The apartment had been renovated by the previous owners when the couple bought it. Details include large-format tile flooring, custom-fitted closets and well-appointed bathrooms. The kitchen is fitted with wood cabinetry, high-end appliances, stone counters and glass-tile backsplashes.
Bailey and Althoff made some cosmetic improvements to fit their style. They repainted the rooms in a neutral palette and added wallpaper and new light fixtures. They also installed panels on the French doors from the bedrooms to the living area for privacy, visual softness and soundproofing.
“We’ve done everything we can to help keep it nicely in great condition, so hopefully it finds a good owner,” he says.
The development at 2600 S. Ocean Blvd. was designed by the late Palm Beach architect Gene Lawrence. The three buildings stand on the sixth property north of the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach.
The common areas include a heated saltwater pool, a whirlpool spa and cabanas positioned around the newly renovated pool deck. Other amenities include a fitness center, saunas and a summer kitchen, along with two Har-Tru tennis courts. Services include a gatehouse, door personnel and a full-time manager.
In addition to its location — Bailey and Althoff enjoyed the convenient access to Palm Beach International Airport and the beach — the couple appreciated that The 2600 Building is, in Bailey’s words, a “well-managed, financially-strong complex.”
He says work crews have been busy updating the development.
“Just in the last couple of years, they’ve done a lot of work to the outside of the building. They’ve redone the entire pool area, all the lobby areas, the hallways, the gym, the parking lot and the elevators. So it’s a pretty extraordinary list of accomplishments that the board and the property manager pulled off over the last couple of years.
“We’ve had the past six years at our place at ‘The 2600,’ and I’m happy to say our experience was wonderful.”
He adds: “I think it’s a testament to the fact that when Heather and I objectively put down what was important to us, we realized that we just absolutely loved our current location and if we could possibly find something bigger that fit our needs and (was) really close to our address, it would be perfect. And then lo and behold, we did.”
To see more photos of No. 302W at 2600 S. Ocean Blvd., click on the photo gallery near the top of this page.
For more than 20 years, Christine Davis has written about Palm Beach real estate in the “On the Market” feature in the Palm Beach Daily News.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Sea view enthralled owners of Palm Beach condo priced at about $2M
Reporting by Christine Davis, Special to Palm Beach Daily News / Palm Beach Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Christine Davis, Special to Palm Beach Daily News | USA TODAY Network
