1. Houses of the Week
Three Dream Green Homes
Building your own dream green home overlooking serene rolling meadows is not only doable, it’s within reach, thanks to award-winning architect Alfredo De Vido—the visionary behind this one-of-a-kind, eco-friendly community of homes in Cold Spring, New York. The three remaining lots of a unique four-lot subdivision are ready for the taking with building permits and financing all preapproved. Each contemporary home set on nearly two acres features a distinctive De Vido contemporary design that includes an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly approach, cathedral ceilings, natural-toned wood paneling, wide-planked pine flooring, gas fireplaces, integrated lighting throughout, and a full basement with high ceilings and the potential for additional bedrooms. All of the angst has been taken out of the pre-building process, since each model home has been planned and approved. Not only is this a chance to acquire a beautiful AND green home, but a rare opportunity to work closely with a renowned architect in creating your own one-of-a-kind gem.
“This four-lot subdivision sits near the Cold Spring reservoirs, with beautiful mountain views from each of the remaining three lots. Hudson Highlands State Park, with its many trails overlooking the Hudson River, is just a ten-minute walk from your front door,” says listing agent Ralph Fleming. “This is a nature lover’s paradise.” Known for his extensive portfolio, De Vido has designed the three model homes to complement the surrounding landscape. “The ‘Stone House’ is a perfect fit for 58 Foundry Pond Road that works well with the rock ledges on the back side of the two-acre building lot,” listing agent Robert McCaffrey explains. “The ‘Wood House’ will be nestled up on the hillside of 52 Foundry Pond Road, with a secluded driveway that meanders through the property. The contemporary ‘Allaverdy Green’ home at 54 Foundry Pond Road sits adjacent to the first home De Vido built across the lush meadow.”
The main idea for the site “is to build beautiful homes that satisfy passive solar criteria for energy conservation,” De Vido says. “The houses will be oriented so they’re not facing each other for mutual privacy and preservation of views. They will also be sited to save as much energy as possible through insulation, ventilation, overhangs that are properly sized to take advantage of the sun when you need it—blocking the sun in summer and letting as much sun in as possible during the winter.” In addition, De Vido says, “Each house will be distinctive in design, but all three share green principles—each features natural, durable materials that blend with the landscape and require very little maintenance. Our overlapping approach is to build homes that are durable, green, and beautiful.”
Adds Fleming: “These future homes are in the perfect location for full-time or weekend owners—they’re within minutes of Metro-North and I-84, and just a short trip to Stewart Airport.”
Following purchase of the property, De Vido expects construction to take from eight or nine months to a year, depending on the style of the house and the buyer’s customizations. For more information, contact listing agents Ralph Fleming of Prudential Serls Prime Properties at (914) 319-7046 or Robert McCaffrey of Robert A. McCaffrey Realty, Inc., or visit www.mccaffreyrealty.com.
$850,000
Annual property taxes: $15,000
54 Foundry Pond Rd, Cold Spring
Exterior: wood and masonry
$1.550 million
Annual property taxes: $18,000
58 Foundry Pond Rd, Cold Spring
Exterior: local stone
$1.650 million
Annual property taxes: $18,500
52 Foundry Pond Rd, Cold Spring, NY
Exterior: natural wood
2. William Pitt Sotheby’s Partners with WellcomeMat on New Video Channels
William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty adds WellcomeMat to its arsenal of marketing tools to make looking for your dream home even easier. The partnership makes WellcomeMat the exclusive video platform for the more than 1,000 real estate professionals at William Pitt Sotheby’s and partner firms Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty and Litchfield Hills Sotheby’s International Realty. The agency hopes the new venture will position it on the leading edge of a popular medium. As a valuable time-saving consumer resource, the custom video channels will feature digital tours of communities, luxury property tours, agent profiles, and market trends.
3. Get a Head Start on Thinking Green
If your thoughts are turning toward spring, consider getting a head start by immersing yourself in thinking green. Sign up for one or both of two upcoming classes offered by the Garden Education Center of Greenwich (130 Bible St, Cos Cob, CT) that can keep your green thumb in shape while you’re patiently waiting to get back in your garden. Wednesday, February 1, at 10 am: Bring your garden inside by learning the secret to making a mini greenhouse—an indoor garden in a glass container. The course fee is $50 for GEC members and $60 for non-members. Experienced gardeners who want to refresh their own terrariums with new plant material should plan to attend a special session at 11:30 am. Thursday, February 2, from 10 am to 11:30 am: Sharpen your sustainability skills when horticulturist Alan Gorkin shares his top tips on creating a sustainable and ecologically sound vegetable garden using resources already at your fingertips. Topics include harvesting your grass, housing a small poultry flock, collecting and reusing rainwater, and maximizing the usefulness of your fall leaves. The course fee is $35 for GEC members and $45 for non-members. For more information or to register, call (203) 869-9242, e-mail gec@gecgreenwich.org, or visit www.gecgreenwich.org.
4. Continuing Education Presentation about Tile and Stone Installations
After this February 9 presentation, architects and interior designers may not only be convinced to add the Schluter System to all their tile designs, but will leave with a better understanding of the unique challenges of tile and stone installations under a variety of conditions, as well as become familiar with both traditional and new technology methods. Choose one of three sessions co-sponsored by Murphy Brothers Contracting and Ceramic Design Ltd.—noon or 2:30 pm at Murphy Brothers (416 Waverly Ave, Mamaroneck) or 5:30 pm at Ceramic Design’s warehouse/showroom (175 Post Road West, Westport, CT). Issues such as mold and questionable shower assemblies will be examined. Lastly, the intricate challenges associated with exterior applications will be discussed, to include waterproofing, freeze/thaw cycling, movement joints, flashing, and railing assemblies. The sessions, presented by Dan Wagner, Territory Manager for Schluter Systems L.P., qualify for credits for AIA, NKBA, and ASID members (who must self-report). Food and refreshments courtesy of Schluter Systems and Ceramic Design. For more information or to reserve your spot, call (914) 777-5777 or e-mail michael@murphybrothers.com.
5. Quote of the Week
“I always investigate the home’s history including the builder, old photographs, and it’s lineage of owners. The soul of an older home is its past and can’t be duplicated.” William Ford-Sussman, Ford-Sussman Group at Coldwell Banker on marketing historic homes
We welcome information about fascinating homes on the market or real estate/home-related news and events—send to Karen Odom at kodom@westchestermagazine.com.
