Chatting with Mabley Handler about the Stylish New Ponquogue Point Development

Ponquogue Point is an exciting new development in Hampton Bays. The project, formerly known as Ponquogue Manor, is on the site of the old Allen's Acres Resort Motel, and is named after that stretch of land along Shinnecock Bay. The three-acre development will feature 23 units in four cedar-shingled buildings, pool, boat launch facilities and 300 feet of dock space. Units range from one to three bedrooms, from 1100sf to 2200sf. There are 20 different floor plans available, including some waterfront units. Each unit has at least one deck, some have private gardens or lawns, and some have roof decks with oceanviews. Model homes will be open in July.

The owners recently brought in well-known Hamptons design firm Mabley Handler to revamp the project. We chatted with principal Austin Handler to find out more.

Mabley Handler helped the developer to come up with the new name and even designed the new logo. Why did they approach your firm?

The developers wanted to collaborate with a design firm that specialized in Hamptons design to ensure that the project reflected the area. Our style seems to represent an appealing yet approachable aesthetic that many people seem to be looking for in a Hamptons home. The developers felt that our reputation in the Hamptons would elevate the project to where they wanted it to be. And since we're very attuned to this area, we shared our opinions on not just the design style, but the overall branding and marketing approach.

As I was a graphic designer in my previous career, when I suggested that the logo be refreshed, the developers asked me to have a go. What we ended up with was a fresh, nautical logo, featuring a yacht club-type burgee flag. (The gray flagpole and red and blue triangles in the burgee flag are referential in shape to the two Ps in Ponquogue Point!)

What's your vision for Ponquogue Point as a whole? What do you want people to take away from it?
We see this as an opportunity for buyers to take advantage of this long-overdue transformation of Hamptons Bays. It's a part of the Hamptons that is also an alternative to the Hamptons. It has amazing access to the water, it's close to many desirable amenities (great restaurants, outlet shopping, and a much easier drive from the city), yet it has more of a relaxed vibe. Ponquogue Point is all about offering people a slightly more upscale option for Hampton Bays, with quality, bespoke construction, great design details, and great amenities such dock space for boaters and paddle boarders and walking/biking distance to the beach. It offers all of this at a price point hasn't soared through the roof (yet). It's an opportunity to live in a place and get more value with less pretense.

The days of the Hampton Bays party motels are definitely in the past. Ponquogue Point will become a new benchmark for a home buyers that appreciate value and are seeking quality in an untapped, upcoming area. We like to think of it as "Hampton Bays Rising."

What design details in particular are you proud of?
While Mabley Handler is known for our signature Hamptons style, our design for this project is unique to Ponquogue Point. We have made it a priority to bring interesting, eye-catching nautical style to the project in a way that feels classic and fresh, not predictable or clichéd. The two model homes feature two distinct design points of view. One has more of a crisp, casual summer boathouse feel, with white-painted wood paneling and furnishings in sun-faded reds and crisp navy blues; the other model evokes a more luxurious nautical experience, featuring rich glossy walnut wood cabinetry (reminiscent of the decking on a classic wood boat), bespoke furnishings, and nautical lighting.

How location specific is your design to Hampton Bays? What are the fundamentals of your design philosophy that we'll see in Ponquogue Point?
We're upping the ante on style, giving the Hampton Bays buyer a level of quality usually only seen east of the canal. Ponquogue Point is going to be a very exciting option for people who love the vibe of Hampton Bays, but are looking for a home that is a little more bespoke, more special, and has the premium construction and modern conveniences normally associated with a home in the Hamptons. This development also boasts the ease of turnkey living that has proved to be very popular in the last couple of years—Bishops Pond and Watchcase, for example.

The Ponquogue Point home buyer is someone who loves the water, loves boating, kayaking, standup paddleboarding, and they will have access to Shinnecock Bay directly from the dock space on the property, so we wanted the project to have a distinctly nautical feel. And for those who don't have boats but love the beach, there are beachy elements in the design as well.

Something that is unique to Ponquogue Point is that Mabley Handler will be available to walk every home buyer through finalizing the design of each home. Typically, a developer has an employee on site who walks the home buyer through that process, and offers limited design advice. But Mabley Handler will have one of our designers on site to walk every home buyer through this selection process, offering our expert advice at no charge to the home buyer. We will walk them through selecting everything from the kitchen and bathroom design choices (cabinet styles and colors, tile and countertop options), to floor finishes, molding details and paint colors. And we will also consult with them on any upgrades that they want to include, such as custom built-ins, media/AV systems, and so on. (Of course, full interior design services beyond these initial design selection is also available, but will be contracted separately, if the buyer is interested.) It is truly unheard of for a condo home buyer to have access to high-end interior design advice throughout the design selection process. But that's our commitment to the level of style at Ponquogue Point! We are very passionate about this project. Everyone—the developers, the architect, and the interior designers—has put a tremendous amount of effort into making this project special.

It may sound clichéd but this has truly been a labor of love for all of us.
· Mabley Handler [Official]
· Ponquogue Point [Official]