WESTPORT – Renowned art historian Fiona Garland and her commodities-trader-turned-graphic-designer husband Andrew Bentley have sold three Beachside Avenue properties to a pair of LLCs for a total of $54 million, according to town property records.
The transactions, which closed on Nov. 21, represent the largest in town history, according to the broker Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS) New England Properties. The identity of the buyer was not available except for five separate LLCs created for each transaction. One was under the name MGail domain and the other under the KJar domain.
The purchase broke down as follows:
- 128 Beachside Ave. from Fiona Garland and Andrew Bentley to MGail 26 Beachside LLC for $16.6 million
- 120 Beachside Ave. from Fiona Garland and Andrew Bentley to MGail 120 Beachside LLC for $4 million
- 122 Beachside Ave. from Andrew Bentley Trustee to MGail 122 Beachside LLC for $20.2 million
- 124 Beachside Ave. from Fiona Garland and Andrew Bentley to MGail 124 Beachside LLC for $4.19 million
- 26 Beachside Ave. from Fiona Garland to KJar 26 Beachside LLC for $9 million
BHHS agent John Raus represented the buyer on the multi-property transaction.
Garland and Bentley originally bought the properties in separate transactions from 2010-2022. One of the properties was shingle style cottage that famed architect Roger Ferris had designed for Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue.
Garland, who earned her MA in Art History from the Courtauld Institute in London, specializes in Venetian art. She has taught and led guided tours of art museums and churches across Europe and North America. She is also a member of the Advisory Committee for the Fairfield University Art Museum.
Bentley, a graphic designer and writer, is known recently for his collaboration with Eve Potts on a book called “The New Yorker in Westport.”
For Raus, who has been in Westport since 2017 with his wife and three children, the $54 million transaction began in the most organic way: a casual conversation at Compo Beach with a young soccer fan wearing an Arsenal jersey. As a former professional soccer player himself, the moment sparked a friendly exchange – one that unexpectedly led to an introduction to the eventual buyer. That connection set the entire deal in motion.
“What started as a simple chat about soccer became one of the meaningful moments of my real estate career,” Raus said. “Beachside Avenue is one of the most exceptional addresses on the Gold Coast. Helping my clients through a transaction of this scale was truly special, and beyond setting a record for Westport, working with such an incredible family made it even more so. I couldn’t be happier for them.”
BHHS Westport Office Leader Barbar Babcock was quite proud of Raus’ work on the transaction.
“We are incredibly proud of John and the professionalism he brought to this unique transaction,” Babcock said. “Representing a buyer in a transaction of this magnitude – coordinating the successful purchase of three significant properties – is an extraordinary accomplishment, one that specifically speaks volume to John’s skills, dedication and unwavering commitment to his clients.”
