1 Ship Street

On a remarkable location on Rockport Harbor, 1 Ship Street is being offered for the first time since 1973: a premier waterfront residence with breathtaking views of the harbor, offering an impressive southeast panorama to Indian Island Lighthouse and beyond to Penobscot Bay and its islands. Set to the sound of waves on the shore and boats rocking in the Harbor, this property combines a stunning main house of modern design with clean lines and a light-filled interior, plus a year-round, waterside beach house dating to the 1940’s. All of this is set in a spectacular, awe-inspiring environment, surrounded by terraced gardens, elegant stonework, a private sandy beach, and a sense of joy and tranquility unique to this Harbor.

The harborside design emphasizes light, air, and water, and is carefully molded to the landscape with simple traditional touches and modern amenities. Renowned American architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen is highly respected and known for his signature minimalist style, reimagining and creating traditional homes into simple yet sophisticated forms that are streamlined both inside and out. In the architect’s words, his straightforward gabled structures resemble “monopoly houses,” offering a crisp and fresh take on classic architectural designs. Ship Street reflects the owner’s decades-long admiration for Jacobsen’s style, along with their desire for a traditional oceanfront lifestyle.  

Using Jacobsen’s centrist architectural style, Ship Street honors the traditional forms found around Rockport Harbor and New England, reinterpreting them in a pleasing and distinctly modern way. Two white, two-story gabled units sit side by side, connected by a bright blue door. Inside, clean lines and high ceilings blend with comfortable living spaces, while unobstructed views connect the home to the landscape and water, allowing natural light to dance throughout the interior.

• The open main floor features floor-to-ceiling windows and doors that open to a large balcony bounded by an almost invisible frameless glass railing. 
• The living room with its vaulted ceiling offers plenty of space for gathering with family and friends, as well as creating a cozy retreat for quiet evenings at home with a good book by the fire.  
• A propane fireplace provides warmth and ambiance, while a cleverly concealed TV is discreetly mounted above, behind a piece of custom artwork.  
• Details common to Jacobson are also present inside, such as a hidden bar, flush finishes, no trim, and a built-in bookcase. 
• The lower level contains the home’s two bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom and spacious closet space. 
• The primary bedroom suite features a propane fireplace, while the en-suite bath offers a spa-like experience with a sunken soaking tub with massaging air jets, a two-person walk-in shower, and a sauna.
• A second TV is hidden below a large ottoman opposite the foot of the primary bed.

Additional Buildings & Grounds

• Charming, cozy water’s-edge Beach House, originally a boat-repair shop, now functions as a year-round home with an open main floor and a Pullman kitchen. Upstairs are two bedrooms and a full bath. The lower level includes a half bath. 
• Rinse off the sand with the hot & cold outdoor shower, and store all your water and beach equipment in the beachside shed. 
• A practical, versatile three-bay garage offers ample space for a workshop or your favorite classic automobile with a large second floor above. 
• The entire property was thoughtfully designed in collaboration with the landscape architecture firm Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design.
• Mature and low-maintenance flowering shrubs blend with sun-filled lawn areas, and terraced gardens run along the hillside from the house toward the water. Stone steps meander through the property, with steps leading down to the water.