Skywater Villas — aerial view of the waterfront estate on Sturgeon Bay

4309 Bay Shore Drive  ·  Sturgeon Bay, Door County

Skywater Villas Door County

For the first time in nearly sixty years — a west-facing waterfront estate is available on the greatest body of fresh water in the world.

Request a Private Tour Discover the Estate
~100ft Bay Frontage
7,100sq ft Total Structure
5 Structures
14 Bedrooms
~1acre Grounds
57yrs Family Legacy

The Legacy

A half-century of sunsets.

Since 1968, this bay-shore estate has been the heartbeat of one family's story — artists, restaurateurs, and dreamers who opened their home to guests from across the country and left a legacy embedded in the shoreline.

The original owners — Door County natives and culinary pioneers — transformed this property into something rare: a place that was simultaneously a private sanctuary and a gathering ground. Greek dances under the stars. Fresh-caught fish turned into feasts. Bonfires at the edge of the water, the bay lit amber and violet behind the flames.

Now, for the first time in nearly sixty years, the estate is available. The stones remain. The pier stands. The sunsets haven't changed. What happens next is yours to write.

"It's not just a property — it's where your greatest gatherings and fondest memories will happen. For fifty years, that's been our story. Now, it can be yours."
Fall colors at the water's edge — autumn on Sturgeon Bay View from the upstairs master looking west toward the bay

The Property

Everything a legacy estate demands.

One address. Five structures. A hundred feet of shore. The kind of property that generations return to.

Main home — upstairs master suite with bay view
Main Residence

The Main Home

~4,800 sq ft over two stories with a poured cement foundation built for the long haul. Two wrap-around decks — upper and lower — face due west for unobstructed sunset views. Four skylights flood the interior with natural light. An open staircase connects the levels. Two Door County fieldstone fireplaces anchor the living spaces. The bones are exceptional. The next owner brings the vision.

  • Poured cement foundation
  • Two wrap-around decks
  • 4 skylights
  • 2 fieldstone fireplaces
  • Open interior staircase
One of the four waterfront guest cottages
Guest Structures

Four Cottages

Four individual 2-bed/1-bath cottages — each well-maintained, each with a story. All four hold a legal short-term rental license (hotel/motel conditional use permit) — an extraordinarily rare designation in Door County. Rent individually, rent all four, or fold them into a compound use. They generate income today and can be redeveloped tomorrow.

  • 2 bed / 1 bath each
  • All 4 legally STR-licensed
  • ~2,300 sq ft combined
  • Income-producing now
Handcrafted Door County stone stairs descending to the pier and bay shore
Waterfront Access

Pier & Stone Stairs

Nearly 100 feet of cement pier/breakwater runs the length of the shoreline, protecting the bank with infrastructure that took decades to build. Handcrafted Door County stone stairs descend from the elevated grounds to the water — a signature architectural feature that cannot be replicated. The main home sits ~15 feet above waterline: protected from any foreseeable lake-level event, now or decades from now.

  • ~100 ft cement breakwater
  • Door County stone stairs
  • ~15 ft elevation above waterline
  • West-facing shore (sunsets)

The Opportunity

Three paths. Infinite potential.

This property is not a single thing. It is whatever the right buyer needs it to be.

Family Compound & Estate

Seven doors to the south, a Chicago-based investment advisor acquired a comparable shoreline property, undertook a complete renovation of the main home, added a second residence for extended family, and installed a pool near the water. No expense spared. The blueprint for this use case exists — on this very road.

Five structures on one deed means every generation has its own space. The main home for principals. Cottages for family. Grounds for gathering. The pier for everything else.

Ideal for multigenerational families

Elite Short-Term Rental Platform

The cottages already hold a legally issued hotel/motel conditional use permit — among the rarest licenses in all of Door County, where STR restrictions have tightened significantly. This is not an add-on feature. It is a built-in economic engine.

The main home can be converted for rental use as well. Top-performing Door County waterfront rentals consistently generate $4,000–$8,000+ per week in peak season. With 14 beds across five structures, the revenue model is compelling.

Income-producing from day one

Renovation & Upscale Development

The bones of this property are exceptional: poured foundation, wrap-around decks on both levels, a classic open staircase, four skylights, and a site orientation that no architect could design around. The structures need vision, not rescue.

Buyers with the right team — and the right ambition — could develop this into a showpiece estate worth multiples of the acquisition cost. Comparable luxury renovations in Door County have set regional price records. The regional ceiling has not been reached.

Significant upside for the right buyer

Market Context

Door County at a fraction of comparable markets.

Lake Tahoe waterfront: $8M–$30M+. Lake Minnetonka: $5M–$15M. Lake Geneva: $4M–$12M. A 100-foot west-facing waterfront estate in Door County — with five licensed structures, a cement pier, and 57 years of irreplaceable provenance — represents one of the last true waterfront value opportunities in the freshwater Great Lakes region.

The Setting

Door County. The quiet luxury capital of the Great Lakes.

Over 300 miles of shoreline. Named a top-10 U.S. vacation destination. Voted Wisconsin's friendliest city, 3.5 miles away. World-class sailing, paddle sports, and windsurfing on the bay. Michelin-recognized dining. Galleries and music. Fish boils and cherry orchards.

And none of the hurricanes, wildfires, or flood risk that increasingly shadow coastal markets in both directions.

Door County is not discovering luxury. Luxury is discovering Door County. The window to acquire a landmark property before that recognition is fully priced in is closing.

3.5 mi to downtown Sturgeon Bay
300+ miles of Great Lakes shoreline
$651M annual tourism economy
Door County natural beauty — sunset and shoreline The estate property — park-like grounds and cottage structures

Serious Inquiries Only

Request a Private Tour

This is not a listing. It's an invitation. If you're the right buyer, let's talk.

We respond to serious inquiries within 24 hours. This property is marketed directly — not through MLS. Buyer's agents are welcome.

Prefer to call?

920.256.0644

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