RPM Development Announces Sale of General’s House at East Gate in Fort Monmouth

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RPM Development Group announced today the sale of a home widely considered to be the most notable at East Gate, the upscale collection of residences created in century-old Officer’s Housing on the 1,126-acre Fort Monmouth former U.S. Army post. The famed “General’s House” has been sold to inspiring new owners who have set their sights on creating one of the most distinctive homes in the Monmouth County marketplace. The “General’s House” is the most recognized address in Officer’s Row, a collection of signature homes at East Gate which are aptly named after its former purpose as acclaimed residences for high ranking officers stationed on Fort Monmouth.

The five-bedroom home was sold “as is” to Diane and Bob Baxter, a local couple who envision an estate which maintains the residence’s formality and historic elements, but also features contemporary and modern luxury and comfortable, relaxing living spaces. At about 4,500 square feet, the marquee General’s House is the largest residence in East Gate and a once in a lifetime opportunity to fully renovate a one-of-a-kind floorplan. The home, identifiable by its brick exterior, eye-catching portico entryway and location at the head of the community, stood out to the Baxter’s for its uniqueness inside and out.

“We were attracted to the formality of the home design, as well as the solidness of the brick structure,” they said. “The archways, high ceilings, crown moldings, French doors, and the beautiful staircase, all stood out. Most important were the two sun porches off the back of the house and the beautiful view overlooking Parker’s Creek. While many of these features may require restoration, we will keep what we can and replace what we have to.”

The first steps in the revitalization of the noteworthy residence will not be glitzy, the Baxter’s indicate, with a focus on bringing the home systems up to 21st Century standards.


“The house has no air conditioning or modern heating systems,” the couple points out. “There’s no kitchen and the bathrooms are not functioning. The windows and gutters need to be replaced. The initial work ahead will not be very exciting. It is a lot of blocking and tackling. However, once those systems are upgraded, then we can begin the fun part which is to preserve as much of the character of a 1930’s federal style home as possible.”


After the upgrades are complete and the canvas set, the Baxter’s will get started on making their vision for the General’s House a reality. It begins with a design theme that perfectly combines older charm with newer interior appointments, not unlike historic dwellings of modern distinction seen worldwide.

“We’re aiming to have an eclectic mixture of a historic and structured layout with modern and relaxed feel,” they continued. “For example, if you can imagine walking into a Connecticut farmhouse that retains its historic country charm, but is still fully up to date and livable, or a Parisian apartment where modern furniture and fixtures seem to be dropped into an 18th century building with its retained crown molding and paneled walls.”

Certain aspects of the floorplan will change, and specific rooms will be converted to fit the lifestyle needs of the Baxter’s. The interior motif and palate will include personal flair.

“There’s two parts of the project that are very exciting to us right now,” they said. “We have a friend who is a very talented artist and will be painting a mural on the dining room wall. We have also decided to move the kitchen to the back of the house where the dining room was. We feel the flow from the living room opening to the sun porch will be ideal for our lifestyle. We will also likely put a breakfast dining table and sitting area on the porch.”

The integrity of the General’s House will remain firmly in place, the couple points out, with some of its older spaces transformed into contemporary uses. The general’s office is slated to become a library, a bedroom will be transitioned into a home gym, the attic utilized as a game room and additional storage space, and a portion of the basement targeted to become a wine cellar.

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“We will also keep a small staircase in the back of the home, and plan to change the two small maids’ rooms and a bath into a laundry facility and a nursery or child’s room for future grandchildren.”

A great proximity to family and those future grandchildren is a main reason the Baxters’ chose East Gate. The fast-selling community is already home to their son and his wife, who purchased their first residence at the neighborhood.

“Our children bought here, and after spending much time at East Gate, we have grown to love the quiet community,” the couple said. “We also love being able to walk and ride our bikes here without having to deal with much thru-traffic. We wanted to be closer to our son and the General’s House is a great project for us to restore.”

The General’s House is part of a dynamic collection of luxury homes created by developer RPM Development Group at East Gate in Oceanport, N.J. The remaining residences offer all of the attributes that drew the Baxters to purchase at the fast selling community, with the added benefit of being move-in ready with home systems fully brought up to modern standards and remodeled and contemporary interiors lined with stylish interior appointments and finishes.

Included in the available inventory are the highly popular single-family attached homes located in sought-after Officers Row. Like the General’s House, the spacious and well-appointed homes blend modern luxury and old world charm with the same historic and preserved Federal style construction that has made East Gate so unique, and offer magnificent waterviews of Parker’s Creek., according to CB New Homes of Florham Park, NJ, its exclusive marketing and sales agent.

Priced from the upper $700,000s, the three-bedroom single-family attached homes boast uniquely wide floorplans that feel and live like expansive single-family homes inside and out, without the hassle and headaches of tiresome maintenance. The floorplans offer 2.5 baths, dining/living room, open concept kitchen, expansive master bedroom suite with lavish master bath and sitting room and den that makes for the perfect home office that everyone wants and needs in today’s business climate. Crown molding can be found throughout the main living level and hardwood flooring is included on both the first and second floors. Outside, each home has a large patio to fully enjoy Fort Monmouth’s natural surroundings that are both tranquil and scenic.

East Gate has had significant appeal to young couples and families eager to purchase a two-story single-family attached residence. These buyers are drawn by the comfortable living spaces and roomy outdoor areas, and appreciative of the extra leisure time afforded by the neighborhood’s maintenance-free lifestyle. They‘re also quick to take advantage of an extremely affordable cost of ownership created by today’s low interest rates, low monthly maintenance fees and property taxes that are reasonable, especially when factoring in the neighborhood is served by the award-winning Oceanport school district. Better yet, the single-family attached residences offer Immediate Occupancy.

Commutability has also played a significant role in East Gate’s appeal to working families. Easily accessible are New Jersey Transit’s Little Silver Train Station, located just two miles away, and express ferry service, both of which provide fast service to Manhattan.

Residents at East Gate enjoy being part of the Jersey Shore’s premier live/play community. An abundance of amenities and services are nearby, including the Marina at Oceanport, parade grounds, open space and walking and biking trails and kayaking around Parker’s Creek. There’s also East Gate Park, a one-acre outdoor space featuring a monument paying homage to Fort Monmouth’s storied past, pedestrian pathways, benches, lawns, seasonal flowers and shrubbery and a modernized lightning/lantern package

East Gate is situated just minutes from popular New Jersey beaches and the banks of the Shrewsbury River, and is in proximity to the entertainment, dining and culture of Red Bank and Asbury Park. Major highways, including Routes 35, 36, 18 and the Garden State Parkway, are also nearby.

For additional information on East Gate, please call 732-523-5566 or visit www.EastGateOceanport.com.

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