T
his Long Island home is a nostalgic time capsule, blending seamlessly into its stately neighborhood with a stone façade and manicured landscaping. But beneath its traditional exterior lies a playful secret: a full-scale 1950s diner and an Ebbets Field-inspired shrine to baseball's golden age.
Homeowner Gus Nunziata, who's listing the residence for sale at $1.97 million, is an old-school type guy who wanted to be born in the '50s. He spent over two decades curating the retro basement, which features a chrome-trimmed time capsule with black and white-checkered floors, gleaming red booths, neon signs, and a fully operational Wurlitzer jukebox once owned by Jimmy Fallon.
The diner is complete with vintage booths, a bar with stools, and a glass display case filled with period candy. Nunziata's friends contributed items like a vintage barbershop chair from the Bowery in Manhattan, which still bears business cards from the early 1900s. The space doubles as an entertainment lounge, featuring a movie projector that lowers from the ceiling for screenings and a pool table surrounded by poker paraphernalia.
The adjoining game room is a personal homage to Ebbets Field, with walls painted to resemble the stadium's famed scoreboard, green turf flooring, and a home plate to complete the illusion. Nunziata added salvaged seats from Shea Stadium, Boston Garden, and Comiskey Park, joking that even the Pope might have sat in one of them.
The main floor features a gourmet kitchen, a sunken family room, and a backyard built for entertaining with a heated saltwater pool, a stone fireplace, and multiple lounge areas. The five-bedroom, four-bathroom home also boasts a primary suite with two walk-in closets, a sitting area, and a spa-style bathroom.
However, it's the downstairs that most often steals the show. Nunziata is preparing to downsize after his sons grew up and moved out, but he's open to letting the diner and field go with the house or dismantling them piece by piece. He hopes a like-minded buyer will fall in love with the fantasy he built and keep it intact as a legacy for future generations.
