Upstate House Winter 2020/2021 by Upstate House

Winter 2020/21

HUDSON VALLEY/BERKSHIRES/CATSKILLS

Highwoods Spirit KALESIS DESIGN STUDIO 3rd Generation Builders

ON THE

Cover

Cover Story on page 62

A Woodland Retreat A handbuilt contemporary home that floats in the treetops

The Blank Wall is Tired Sean Schererâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dynamic designs for Kabinett & Kammer

Artists in Residence

A concrete house adds a modernist touch to historic Cragsmoor

Welcome Home To Omega

WILLIAMS

Lumber & Home Centers

Rhinebeck • Hudson • Hopewell Junction • Tannersville • Red Hook • Pleasant Valley • High Falls

www.williamslumber.com

845-876-WOOD

BEACON INSTITUTE FOR RIVERS AND ESTUARIES

BREAKING GROUND:

THE BEATRICE G. DONOFRIO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COMPLEX A PARK CAMPUS FOR CLARKSON AND THE COMMUNITY PROJECT DETAILS: Several portions of this capital project have already been completed, such as the Denning’s Point Road Bridge rehabilitation and Shoreland Trail improvements. Next, a solar array, additional parking capacity for people with limited mobility and a public pavilion will be constructed, along with the renovation of this abandoned twostory, 40,000-square-foot former paper clip factory. The renovation will preserve the building while creating usable space for Clarkson programs and public activities.

Clarkson University’s Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries is pleased to partner with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the New York Power Authority on the Energy-Efficient Park Project: A New York Power Authority Energy & Environmental Sustainability Project. Made possible through generous support from the Donofrio family in memory of their mother, the historic brick and steel structure in Denning’s Point State Park will be transformed into the Beatrice G. Donofrio Environmental Education Complex, offering modern classrooms, meeting and administrative spaces, advanced laboratory facilities for waterrelated research and a new welcome center with hands-on exhibits for park visitors — all overlooking the park and the Hudson River.

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TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND THE BEACON INSTITUTE, VISIT: discover.clarkson.edu/beacon

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Photo by Julian Safford.

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Tools of the trade: The studio of stained glass artist Brenna Chase. Photo by Franco Vogt.

DEPARTMENTS W INTER 20 20 / 21

FEATURES 16

Furniture maker and sculptor Rob Hare designed and built a contemporary, Tuscan-inspired home for himself and his wife, children’s book author Iza Trapani, in the woods of Ulster Park. HOME PROFILE: ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE

By Brian K. Mahoney, Photos by Winona Barton-Ballentine

DESIGN PROFILE: THE BL ANK WALL IS TIRED

online at upstatehouse.com

AREA SPOTLIGHT: RHINEBECK

AREA SPOTLIGHT: HUNTER

BEFORE & AFTER

A rustic 1950s cabin in Claryville gets a vibrant Airbnb upgrade. THE MARKET I N D E X O F A DV ER T I S ER S / MAP OF THE REGION

By Ashleigh Lovelace

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THE STUDIO

Downtown life and nature coexist in this Greene County ski town.

THE SOURCE

This stately Dutchess County town is a hot market for urban expats.

HIGHWOOD SPIRIT

Sponsored House feature

THE MAKER

A visit to the Rosendale studio of stained glass artist Brenna Chase. 20

Constantine Kalesis of Kalesis Design Studio has created Zena Highwoods House in conjunction with 3rd Generation Builders and Ken and Kristin Wenger. The home is a monumental yet intimate retreat off the eastern slope of Overlook Mountain.

THE ROOM

Hudson Valley House Parts in Newburgh is a remodeler’s paradise.

By Susan Barnett

Real estate prices in the region have seen unprecedented gains since the start of the pandemic. We look at what’s in store for 2021.

Ken Landauer rolls out a new line of zero-waste, body-fit furniture.

In the historic artist colony of Cragsmoor, Beat Keerl designed a concrete home with a no-embellishment aesthetic that focuses interest on the natural surroundings through large windows.

Sean Scherer, the design dynamo behind Kabinett & Kammer in the Delaware County town of Franklin, reveals the thinking behind his overstuffed interiors in a sumptuous coffee table book.

MARKETWATCH

Inside the literary lodging the Writer at the Maker Hotel.

HOME PROFILE: A HANDCR AFTED WOODL AND RETREAT

By Kim Marshall, Photos by Winona Barton-Ballentine

CLEAN POWER GUIDE 41

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M A RK ET WAT CH

mass influx

ere’s a story typical of what’s been happening in the real estate market since mid-March, told to me by Jason Karadus, a partner at Corcoran Country Living with offices in Rhinebeck and Millbrook. In August, a luxury home in Staatsburg went on the market on a Friday for just over $1 million. Over the next two days, 16 prospective buyers booked appointments to see the house—all from New York City. By the end of the week, there were three bids over the asking price and the house sold at 15 percent over asking price. While the Staatsburg home was at the upper end, Karadus notes similar action across the market spectrum. “We’ve seen panic buyers come in ready to write a check for $400,000 just so they could get out of the city, get out of a condo with 400 units,” says Karadus. “We’ve also seen city people come and want to buy and move in that weekend. It’s not panic, it’s immediate gratification.” In the period from March through October, there has been an unprecedented rise in home prices across the region, continuing a trend that’s been building over the past few years. Creative class professionals have been relocating to the Hudson Valley from New York City with high-paying jobs, and they have been slowly and steadily helping to drive up prices. When the pandemic hit, affluent New Yorkers showed that they were willing to pay a premium— sometimes 25 percent over asking price with all-cash offer—to escape a city under lockdown. “We had a trend in the past couple years of low inventory and the market climbing, but climbing at a reasonable rate,” says Joan Lonergan, founder of Coldwell Banker Village Green Realty. “When COVID hit, there was this mass exodus. We have never seen prices go up as much as they did in the six months since the pandemic. You’re looking at an average rise of 17 to 20 percent in prices over the previous year. Historically, there’s been nothing like it.” Affordable Housing Pressure In Ulster County, according to Lonergan, there was a lot of interest in the $350,000 to $600,000 price range. “Properties that that might have gone at one time for $250,000 or $300,000, now because of COVID, they could get an increase of 10 to 20 percent,” says Lonergan. “This creates a lot of stress on the lower end of the market, where you really talk about affordable housing for local people.” Lonergan also notes that the spike in housing prices has adversely affected the availability of apartments. “The rental market is practically nonexistent,” she says. “For all those people who can’t find a house, it’s not like they can find a highrise apartment building and move in. They can’t. There is nothing, or even a rural rental. Those have also gone through the roof. A lot of people who

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EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Brian K. Mahoney brian.mahoney@chronogram.com

were doing Airbnb before are finding their Airbnbs flooded with people who are needing some kind of a longer-term stay until they find something to buy.” The emergence of the region as a hot destination over the last decade also set up the towns north of New York City to be seen as soft landing spots during the pandemic. This strain of media coverage was typified by an article on Beacon in the New York Times in late October with the headline: “Beacon, NY: An Arts Hub Turned Refuge for the PandemicWeary.” The piece noted that a one-bedroom condo in a former factory on the east end of Main Street was listed for $769,000. “The Hudson Valley has become a brand in the way the Hamptons is a brand,” says Andrew Gates, a Millbrook-based broker with Houlihan Lawrence. But despite the historic price trajectories seen in the region, the Hudson Valley is still an order of magnitude less expensive than the Hamptons. “There are people who’ve had a house in the Hamptons who are surprised at what they get in Millbrook for a fraction of the cost,” says Corcoran’s Karadus. Winter Is Coming, Sort Of Despite the fact that winter is a historically slow time for real estate, the brokers I spoke to thought that the pace of sales would drop off slightly but continue straight through to spring. “I think we’re going to see transactions through the holiday season,” says Karadus. Lonergan believes that sales will continue, but there will be price adjustments. “Buyers who were looking at ridiculous, insane prices are just not having it and saying no. Buyer fatigue is setting in a little—people are just not willing to slap down anything to find a home.” Looking further into the future—post political realignment, post pandemic—Houlihan Lawrence’s Gates predicts another wave of immigrants to the region: climate refugees. “The recent wildfires have made the air quality in major West Coast cities untenable,” says Gates. “It’s on the level of Beijing. I was stunned by what happened in California this year. This is not a tomorrow thing, this is hard upon us now. I’m surprised there haven’t been more calls from California.” He notes three major advantages New York has going for it in a warming world with volatile weather: few natural disasters (those who experienced the ravages of Hurricane Irene in the Catskills might dispute this); even as the world warms, the Hudson Valley will be cooler than many other places where people will be fleeing, like the desert Southwest; and we have a thriving community of small farms and the ability to increase our agricultural output. “We are well positioned up here for climate change,” says Gates. “The influx of climate refugees has the potential to make the COVID exodus look minor.” —Brian K. Mahoney

CREATIVE DIRECTOR David Clark Perry david.perry@chronogram.com DIGITAL EDITOR Marie Doyon SPONSORED CONTENT EDITOR Ashleigh Lovelace PROOFREADER Peter Aaron CONTRIBUTORS Winona Barton-Ballentine, Susan Barnett, Anne Pyburn Craig, Kim Marshall, Katie Navarra, Anna Sirota, Franco Vogt PUBLISHING CO-FOUNDER & CEO Amara Projansky CO-FOUNDER Jason Stern CHAIR David Dell Upstate House is a project of Chronogram Media.

ADVERTISING & MARKETING (845) 334-8600 X100 MEDIA SPECIALISTS Kelin Long-Gaye kelin.long-gaye@chronogram.com Jen Powilson jen.powilson@chronogram.com Kris Schneider kschneider@chronogram.com SALES MANAGER Lisa Montanaro lisa.montanaro@chronogram.com MARKETING DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS Samantha Liotta samantha.liotta@chronogram.com ADMINISTRATIVE FINANCE MANAGER Nicole Clanahan PRODUCTION PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Kerry Tinger kerry@chronogram.com PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Kate Brodowska, Amy Dooley

ChronogramMedia CHRONOGRAM MEDIA 45 Pine Grove Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401 (845) 334-8600 | fax (845) 334-8610 chronogrammedia.com All contents © Chronogram Media 2020

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THE RO O M T HE WRIT ER AT THE MAK ER H O T EL

The Writer is a 450-square-foot, literarythemed suite at the Maker Hotel in Hudson.

hen the Maker Hotel in Hudson finally opened its 11 rooms for booking in 2020, the long-awaited debut was met with instant fanfare and critical acclaim. The Maker’s sensuous Instagram account had long teased photos of sumptuous velvet duvets, Morrocan-tiled bathrooms with brass accents, custom corduroy chaise lounges, vintage Turkish kilim rugs, and cozy nooks for reading, enjoying a nightcap, or whispering sweet nothings. It’s a sensuous riot of texture and textiles in rich jewel tones accented by hardwood, marble, brass, and glass. The hotel rooms at the Maker are spread out across three historic buildings. In the Georgian mansion building, four expansive Maker studios embody peak design and luxury, each a romantic take on the life and habitat of a different maker. They are: the Gardener, the Architect, the Artist, and the Writer. It was this last one that drew our eye, with its reading nooks and wraparound bookcases. “When I was designing it, I was imagining the writer as somebody who has a very nomadic personality,” says Maker co-owner and designer Lev Glazman. “Somebody who’s very curious, somebody who travels, somebody who collects memories. And that’s why it is filled with objects of curiosity. You have a lot of artwork here, but it’s a little bit more eclectic. It’s things that a writer finds and they want to just capture it in their memory. And that’s how I wanted to design the whole environment.” 8

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Entering the 450-square-foot suite, your gaze is drawn to the stunning fireplace (now gaspowered) straight ahead. The green-tiled fireplace is surrounded by the original Georgian oak mantel and matching built-in bookcases, on which Glazman worked with local artisans to restore. “Everything is original,” Glazman says. “Everything we could restore, we restored. We’re very much into respecting sustainability, and we like to reclaim and recycle things as much as we can.” Like the epic library in the lobby below, the bookshelves lining the walls on either side of the fireplace are teeming with volumes selected by the Strand Bookstore in the city. “You have a lot of books here—very eclectic,” Glazman says. “There’s autobiographies, historical books, fiction, world mythology—all kinds of odd books, and we keep adding.” A pair of charcoal plaid armchairs and a triangular Mid-Century coffee table rest on the lush red and blue wool rug, creating a cozy, casually worldly vibe. Off to the side, below the window, a vintage typewriter patiently waits upon the writer’s desk to channel inspired words. “It totally works,” Glazman says of the typewriter. “People love typing on that thing, and they have actually been using it to write and send notes to other people. It’s amazing.” “I like things to be eclectic,” Glazman says. “A lot of Mid-Century elements mixed in with some La Belle Epoch era, mixed in with some Art Deco. We even included some Victorian details because of the house. But typically, it’s got to be the right balance

between those areas of design. I don’t like one era to be on steroids.” Through gracefully arched double doors, enter the bedroom, with a king-size latex mattress atop a custom headboard modeled after a wingback chair—another nod to the writer. A lofty linen duvet cover is folded down over luxuriously high-thread count cotton sheets. Oversized goose down slumber pillows make for a dreamy landing. All the bedding is a custom collaboration with premium brand the DownTown Company. The good news? After you fall in love, you can take home a slice of luxury. “The bedding, the furniture, everything was made for us,” Glazman says. “People always want to buy it. So, we’re selling all of it.” The final crowning glory of the suite is its luxe glazed ceramic field tile bathroom with a heated limestone floor, freestanding marble sink, and rainfall shower. All Maker rooms come with complimentary full-size products from high-end beauty company Fresh, which Glazman and his partner Alina Roytberg founded in the early `90s; linen robes; and luxury towels and slippers from Frette for a spa-caliber weekend retreat. “The whole idea is that you can lie there in the corner and read a book,” Glazman says pointing at the upholstered bench by the window. “Or sit in the armchairs, or lay in the bed. There’s a lot of seating options, if you like reading this is a perfect room.” We’ll be right over. —Marie Doyon THEMAKER.COM

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THE M A K ER

Zero-Waste, Body-Fit Furniture KEN L A N DAU ER’ S FN FURN IT U RE L IN E

From top: Furniture designer Ken Landauer in his studio; F1 Zero-Waste Outdoor Rockers made of recyclable plastic; F1 Universal Bench, a modifcation of the F1 Sofa, commissioned by urban planning firm Civicworks in Calgary, Canada. 10

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en Landauer once specialized in oneof-a-kind pieces for the one percent. Architects considered him the go-to artist for bespoke furniture. The Occupy movement inspired the former art professor to use furniture as activism—a space where he could create well-designed, affordable furniture with zero waste. Landauer launched FN Furniture in 2017 with chair, bench, and sofa designs guided by yogic principles, so that the angles and surfaces of each piece support comfort and alignment. The indoor furniture is made with multi-layered Baltic Birch Plywood cut on a CNC (computer numeric control) machine. The Stone Ridge artist and furniture maker began receiving requests for outdoor models and office furniture. In 2020, he launched an outdoor line following the same principles, but made from sheets of marine-grade, highdensity plastic. The outdoor chairs have only seven parts compared to traditional Adirondack chairs that require more than 25 pieces. The minimalist design eliminates joints that can weaken and break and Landauer hopes his body-fit chairs become pieces of art that people appreciate for decades. Each piece ships flat, slots together, and tightens up with pre-installed hidden fasteners. The lounge and rocker-style chairs cost $725, and the chaise lounge lists at $1,375. “I started off being critical of plastic, because it needs to be used responsibly. If it’s not used carefully, there is a lot of waste,” Landauer says. “The marine-grade plastic is weatherproof, non-toxic, and, if used in a building, can earn LEED credits.” The plastic, also used to build children’s jungle gyms, comes in vibrant colors including red, yellow, green, and blue. Custom orders have included an outdoor bench commissioned by Civicworks, a Calgary-based urban planning firm. Landauer modified his F1 Universal Bench design for an outdoor piece that encourages vertical posture and is easier to use because of the armrest heights and by space underfoot. The outdoor sofa starts at $1,375. Custom requests also sparked expansion into office furniture. Joe Hagan, a writer for Vanity Fair who lives in Dutchess County, requested a writing desk made from the same zero-waste design. That served as the prototype for office furniture that ranges from shelves to desks and a credenza. Rather than letting metal filing cabinets go to waste, Landaeur incorporates them into select styles of desks. A wall hung desk sells for $475, the Upcycle desk for $999, and there are several options in between. —Katie Navarra FNFURNITURE.COM

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THE S O U RCE HUDSON VALLEY HOUSE PARTS

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hen asked where he sources the architectural salvage that fills the two floors of his enormous shop (and a 2,000-square-foot warehouse as well) in Newburgh, owner Reggie Young tells a story. In April, he received a call from Medline, a medical supply manufacturer that was building a distribution center in Montgomery. The Medline representative asked if Young was interested in salvaging what he could from a circa 1800 Federal house before it was torn down in three days’ time. No problem for Young: He mobilized a team and went to work. He removed an entire staircase from the house, which a client carted away on a flatbed truck. Young brought a bevy of historic items back to the shop, including seven entire window trim sets, many doors, various bits of cabinetry, and the original Federal entranceway with sidelights. Who wants all this stuff? “My primary customers are architects, designers, and builders,” says Young. But there’s also a burning desire for authentic hardware among laypeople. “People want something that’s reclaimed, that doesn’t come in five miles of bubble wrap,” says Young. “People, young people especially, want a more sustainable life. They want the patina of a life lived in their homes.” Since opening his Broadway storefront two years ago, Young has been stuffing Hudson Valley House Parts to the rafters with patina. In early November, some of the items available included a practically mint nine-foot-long chestnut dining room table ($950), a nine-by-eight-foot stained glass window ($8,500), an antique wrought iron garden bench with scrolling arms ($550), in addition to thousands of items from your restoration fever dreams. —Brian K. Mahoney HVHOUSEPARTS.COM

1. DESIGN SIGN The Design sign was from a local kitchen store that closed some time ago. HVHP’s inventory includes matching signs that say “Kitchen” and “Center.”

2. STAINED GLASS WINDOW The large stained glass window was made in Cornwall back at the turn of the 20th century for a mansion renovation in Garrison. HVHP obtained it as the Queen Anne Renovation was being torn out and the house taken back to its earlier Italianate style.

3. MOORISH RUG The red and cream Moorish Star rug is a favorite of Young’s. It comes from an estate in Northern New Jersey.

4. SNAKESKIN The snake skins are from a Main Line estate in Philadelphia. The rattlesnake skin retains its rattle.

5. HOLOPHANE LAMPS

PH O T O BY AN N A S I RO TA

The Holophane fixtures hanging over the counter are from Allentown State Hospital and original to the 1901-1912 construction.

upstate HOUSE

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Bespoke, Handmade Furniture & Accessories in Wood, Metal & Glass

ROB HARE

Maker of Things By Appointment

130 Carney Road, Ulster Park, NY 845.658.3584

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robhare-furnituremaker.com

291 River Street, Troy 142 Grand Ave, Saratoga Springs 518.587.7120 | phinneydesign.com

architecture | interior design | construction management

TH E STUDIO WILLOW DEEP STUDIO

Top: Brenna Chase in her stained glass studio behind her home in Rosendale.

PH O TOS BY FR ANCO VOG T

Bottom: Chase using nippers to cut a strip of lead to the proper size in order to shape and fit it between two pieces of glass in a stained glass window.

tained glass techniques have existed for over a thousand years—one of the oldest known examples is from an English monastery built in 686 CE—and stained glass windows are associated with churches and luxury homes from the Gilded Age through the early 20th century. An original stained glass window in an older home is an architectural footprint of the time in which the house was built. Stained glass is making a comeback, however, and a new generation of artisans are using age-old skills to enliven contemporary homes. Meet Brenna Chase. A 2007 Bard graduate, Chase earned a certification in historic preservation and restoration in Astoria, Oregon, before returning to New York City to further develop her skills as a hands-on technician, and then opened her own shop, Willow Deep Studio, in Rosendale. Chase draws each design by hand and uses techniques perfected over centuries to cut, stretch, and solder glass and lead into translucent artworks. “These days, so much of what we buy and fill our homes with is expendable, but once I create a stained glass piece, there is a great chance it will be around for a long time, even if it’s passed on to other owners or modified over time to fit a new space,” she says. “When done correctly and installed in a safe location, panels can remain structurally intact for over a hundred years.”

There are so many possibilities of bringing traditional designs, styles, and architectural eras into old and new buildings alike. Chase says clients can opt for styles reflecting Victorian, Art Deco, Prairie, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, Mid-Century Modern, and even Medieval designs. She can match the tastes of any client but finds her natural style leans towards Art Deco. In the Hudson Valley, she has noticed clients prefer understated designs like farmhouse windows and streamlined Victorian patterns, rather than intricate designs popular in the `70s and `80s. Chase specializes in restoration and custom stained glass windows for residential and commercial settings. Recent projects include the stained glass panels at Bia, an Irish restaurant in Rhinebeck, the LGBTQ Center in Kingston, and a three-dimensional lamp above the Wiltwyck, an Airbnb in a historic building in Kingston. The cost of custom stained glass panels varies depending on size and complexity of design, but starts at $199 per square foot. For those looking to add stained glass into their home on a budget, Chase offers suncatchers, jewelry, and home goods through her online shop. —Katie Navarra WILLOWDEEPSTUDIO.COM upstate HOUSE

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HO U S E PRO FIL E

A Handcrafted Woodland Retreat A furniture maker and sculptor designs and builds a contemporary, Tuscan-inspired home By Kim Marshall Photos by Winona Barton-Ballentine

ucked away in Ulster Park near the confluence of the Wallkill River and the Rondout Creek, furniture maker and sculptor Rob Hare and his wife, children’s book author and illustrator Iza Trapani, dwell in their contemporary, Tuscan-inspired house that Hare designed and built from scratch. The house, which Hare designed and built from scratch, sits on a cliff edge, giving it a treehouse quality. When they married in ’97, Hare had been living in Kingston, and Trapani in New Paltz, but they wanted to stay in close proximity to friends, so they looked into purchasing a home located in between the two. After real estate agents couldn’t help them find homes they were interested in, they decided to knock on doors. While driving toward Kingston, Hare realized a long driveway that he’d seen for years led to a house sitting on property he and Trapani admired. “Once I screwed up enough courage to drive down that long driveway, the caretaker at that time said, ‘Oh, yeah. The whole place is for sale; the owners just put it on the market,’ and it hadn’t even been advertised. So we bought it.” DOWNSIZED DESIGN The 150-acre farm came with two houses, which they planned to rent out, and a large barn. They eventually built Hare’s furniture-making studio near the road and the 3,000-square-foot Tuscan farmhouse (sold in 2016) that their new home was modeled after. When designing the new house, Hare and Trapani decided to downsize but keep the features each of them enjoyed about their old home. They also wanted to ensure it was conducive to aging, with just one floor. “The old house was very spacious,” says Hare. “It had a living room, dining room, and peaked ceilings that were 26 feet off the floor, so it was a big open space. We both wanted a house that felt warmer and not quite as grandiose.” To achieve this, Hare designed the home to be smaller and cozier in the kitchen and library, with a larger, more spacious design in the dining and living room areas. To make it work, he kept the roof low in the kitchen and library, while the dining and living room area, as well as Trapani’s studio, have higher ceilings.

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Top: A long deck spans the entire left-hand side of the contemporary, Tuscaninspired house of Rob Hare and Iza Trapani. The house, which Hare designed and built from scratch, sits on a cliff edge, giving it a treehouse quality. Bottom: Hare and Trapani on the deck with their Lab/pit bull mix, Nugget.

A SCULPTOR’S TOUCH After considering several roof designs, Hare settled on a hyperbolic paraboloid, a geometric form composed of a series of straight lines that shift across the surface of the roof and look triangular, giving the home a contemporary, asymmetric facade. “When I walk down to the house from my studio, I see the roof, and it’s just a lot of fun,” says Hare, whose quirky designs are repeated often throughout the home. The front door, for example—a frame-and-panel arrangement that resembles a ladder with staggered rungs going up either side—has a twisted and angled look similar to the roof and opens up into a welcoming intersection marked by four curved corners brightly illuminated by a skylight. There is a lot of twisting, too, in the ceiling’s wood beams that adjust angles along the slope of the roof (exposed rafters made of Douglas fir that are anchored to six-inch tongue-andgroove pine planks), and in the aluminum door handles and drawer pulls that Hare hand-forged. “I had picked up a bunch of handles at surplus places, and there were some we really liked but couldn’t find anymore. I figured I could make them in aluminum, and I put a twist in the aluminum before I bent it into half of an ellipse. If you have two sets of drawers adjacent to one another, one set of handles twists to the left, and the other twists to the right,” he says, describing the unconventional, sculptural theme that characterizes much of his metalwork. Since earning his master’s degree in sculpture from the University of Cincinnati, Hare, a self-proclaimed “maker of things,” has tried everything from sculpture and construction to furniture making and high-end millwork, but it was the furnituremaking that he eventually settled into. All of his work is still based in sculpture, however, and his pieces typically feature a wood structure supported by metal framing, which he used to forge in steel but has since switched to aluminum. It proved difficult to transition to the new material, initially, and took Hare years to figure out how to do it;:“I had to build a new furnace and learn some different techniques. To my knowledge, I’m the only one in the country who is hand-forging aluminum in this way.” The metal comes to Hare in twofoot, three-inch square chunks, and he heats, bends, and hammers the material until it’s drawn out long enough to be legs for a table or whatever else he needs for his projects. He can get the aluminum color to resemble steel now, too, through process of anodization, whereby the metal is treated to form a colorized coating—but in general, he finds aluminum easier to work with and much lighter and more manageable to transport than steel.

Clockwise from top left: A chair and desk Hare designed and built that Trapani uses as a spot to to draft her children’s books. The desk has an inlay where Trapani’s computer fits snugly, and the front portion folds up and into itself when not in use. Like much of Hare’s furniture design, the desk features a sculptural metalwork frame. This staircase, leading to a well-lit attic, is hidden in the ceiling of Trapani’s studio and accessed by pressing a button on the wall. “I didn’t want to take up the space for a permanent set of stairs,” says Hare. “Most attic

staircases are rickety, and they’re ugly, so I built a set of stairs that hinge from the attic floor and drop down, lifted and lowered by an overhead electric cable.” Hare built both the table and hutch in the couple’s dining room, while the long table along the wall was his grandmother’s. Hare appreciates when a piece of furniture is banged up a bit, saying, “I like seeing where people have used it, where it’s not just this fancy thing set aside. Tabletops, especially dining tables, are really thick. A little patina of use is nice, and you can always sand it down and refinish it.”

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WORKING OUT THE DETAILS While Hare designed and built the home, including the majority of its furniture and all of the cabinetry and shelving, Trapani brought more detail to the space, especially when it came to color and functionality. “If I want to see how a wall will look, and the ceiling, and a certain corner, Rob will draw that for me three-dimensionally,” she explains. “That’s where my sculpture background comes in,” he adds. “I could draw the entire room freehand in perspective from her viewpoint and say, ‘Here is where we’re going to have the kitchen island. How big should it be? How much space do you need between the island and the counter?’ and I’ll adjust it according to what Iza sees as necessary.” Trapani’s artistic eye for color and a sense of style is evident throughout, whether it’s in her choice of blue and yellow kitchen tiles for the stove’s backsplash; the warm, earth-toned wall colors; or the pottery, arranged in cheerful clusters of blue and green, that line the shelves near the sitting area in the kitchen—which is a fairly open room with a center island topped with a solid slab of maple and a doorless walk-in pantry with lots of shelving that neatly displays colored glassware, storage containers, and pots and pans. Trapani’s favorite feature of the home, however, is her studio, where she writes and illustrates children’s books and is surrounded by copies of her award-winning work—including her rendition of old favorite The Itsy Bitsy Spider (Charlesbridge Publishing, 1993), which has sold over a million copies. With large windows overlooking the woods, the studio feels open and cozy at once, with a couch for lounging and a large desk that Hare built for her with several drawers and an inlay for her computer. “I draw, and I do a lot of my writing in the studio,” she says. “But generally, I feel like I either need to be in a car or on a walk to get an idea for a story. I then dash home and flesh it out on the computer. Rob also built for me a beautiful drafting table, and I have a big bulletin board where, when I’m working on a book, I put all the illustrations up, and then between books, it’s filled with cards and memorabilia.” From top: The kitchen is fairly open, and includes cabinetry and cabinet pulls made by Hare, who purposely left out the higher cabinets because Trapani is 5` 2”, so the height isn’t practical for use. There is also a walk-in pantry with shallow shelving that makes accessing all the glassware and pantry staples. In the bedroom, a large dresser Hare built with metal pulls that look like one solid handle but splits in two (one half opening each of two drawers). The room also contains two antique chairs that were in Hare’s family and a painted Pennsylvania Dutch blanket chest. The master bath overlooks the woods, and has a large, deep square tub and walk-in shower. With cabinetry made by Hare and sea-themed colors chosen by Trapani, the space is just a small sampling of how the couple worked together to complete their home. “Rob is the one that is really fantastic at designing spaces,” says Trapani. “He does lean towards big, open spaces, and I always want to bring in anything to make them cozier.” 18

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TAKING IN THE RESULTS Other than enjoying the well-lit and open studio with lots of storage, Trapani also loves the hidden staircase Hare built into the ceiling of the room. Upon pressing a button, the stairway descends on a heavy-duty electric cable. Hare didn’t like the idea of having stairs awkwardly intruding in Trapani’s otherwise spacious workspace, so he fashioned them to hinge from the attic floor and drop down when they need to access the room, which is a light-filled attic that stores her paintings, a sewing table, and other odds and ends. Outdoors, a long deck spans the entire width of the house, where their sweet, obedient Pit bull mix, Nugget, and aging gray cat, Sneak, wander in an out of the home freely. It’s here, too, that the couple can take in the woodland setting with natural ground cover, trees, and shrubs. They have a few plantings around and in the front of the house, like catmint, hydrangea, and viburnum—but the main goal for their new house design was to create an easy sense of warmth and welcome where they could both relax and enjoy their work. After years of designing and building the home (alongside builder Bill Otis of Winter Sun Construction), they are both happy with the results. “I just plain love making things,” says Hare. “Whether it’s wood or metal or drafting or working out designs for clients or for Iza—the whole process is enjoyable for me. So, I go to work and come home, and I’m happy. Even if the bills can’t get paid—life is still pretty damn good.”

Top: After considering several roof designs, Hare settled on a hyperbolic paraboloid, a series of straight lines that shift across the surface of the roof, giving the home an asymmetric facade. Bottom: Trapani’s studio, where she writes and illustrates children’s books. Her take on the Itsy Bitsy Spider has sold over a million copies. upstate HOUSE

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COM M U N IT Y

RHINEBECK

riving north on Route 9 just south of Rhinebeck, you enter the Hudson River National Historic Landmark District, a 32-square-mile strip of riverbank along which the one-percenters of a bygone age—many of them connected to the Livingston family—built lavish “country seats.” But as early as 1704, William Traphagen had already figured out that Rhinebeck was the ideal spot for hospitality and good times. The Dutch had been settling in the area since 1686, and Route 9—then the Albany Post Road— had been built along older trails of the Wappinger and Wiccoppe natives, who were then hired as early mail carriers. In 1703, the trail was widened into a public highway, and Traphagen clearly had an eye for location. Still in operation as the Beekman Arms, the inn hosted founding fathers during the Revolution and everything from town meetings to auctions and tea parties after that, with a guest list that included, but has never been limited to, a great many bold-face names. In the mid-19th century, Rhinebeck was renowned for woodworking and fine clothing.

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Stately Village Living By Anne Pyburn Craig Photos by Abby Foster

By the 1890s, Rhinebeck was famed for its violets, a cash crop that brought in a cool million some years. (From the Gilded Age through the Depression, the violet was the world’s most popular flower, and Rhinebeck was known as the Violet Capital of the World.) The place once called the “Parlor of Dutchess County” for tidy streets, spreading greenery, and civilized welcome, remains on that track: smart but not smug, well-kempt but woke, with a rich civic life. Two colleges—the Culinary Institute of America just south in Hyde Park, and Bard College in Red Hook—pump out steady streams of culture and fine food. THE SCENE Through the pandemic, the town has pulled together in true Rhinebeck style. Citizens quickly organized Rhinebeck Responds, a “citizen-run effort to recruit volunteers, identify needs, and facilitate community service” in cooperation with government, civic agencies, churches, and neighbors, and residents have been helping

support residents and their beloved small business community ever since. Beloved cultural institutions such as the Center for the Performing Arts at Rhinebeck and the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies took programming online. “You have to be adaptable, draw on strength from your experiences and just move forward,” says Laura Pensiero, who came back upstate to open Gigi Trattoria in 2001. “The universe is bizarre right now, but it’s an awakening for a lot of people about how strong we really are.” Trained in public health, Pensiero knew what to do and installed a plasma air bipolar ionization systems, ample sanitizing stations, and temperedglass safety shields in her restaurant. “What got us through the takeout-only period was customer loyalty and core staff,” she says. “This is a town where people respect each other and care about the community, and we’re having none of the issues I’ve heard about in other places.” Pensiero earned that loyalty. Rhinebeck’s dining scene is famously varied and dense—there are more than two dozen eateries within the

THE FACTS ZIP CODE: 12572 POPULATION: 7,766 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $52,500 PROXIMITY TO MAJOR CITY: Rhinebeck is 61 miles from Albany and 102 miles from New York City.

TRANSPORTATION: Rhinebeck is 20 minutes from

Samuel’s Sweet Shop is owned by actors Paul Rudd, Hilarie Burton, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Opposite: The view down East Market Street in downtown Rhinebeck.

few blocks of the downtown area. Residents and visitors can feast in fine historic style at the Beekman Arms, on Irish fare at Bia, on Japanese at Osaka, authentic falafel at Aba’s, and fine dining at Willow by Charlie Palmer at Mirbeau Rhinebeck, to name just a sampling. For those in the mood to cook, there’s Grand Cru Beer and Cheese, Sunflower Natural Foods, Oliva gourmet olive oils and vinegars, and the award-winning farmers’ market. Montgomery Row, voted “best shopping block” by Hudson Valley magazine, offers everything from an indie book and music store to specialty paper goods to uber-cute kids’ store Sapling. That’s part of a wider shopping scene that includes the Rhinebeck Department Store, a decades-old purveyor of fine country casual, gifts, and home goods; Winter Sun & Summer Moon, specializing in locally and globally handmade wearables and specialty items; Hummingbird Jewelers works with over 75 master makers from around the world. There are also three candy shops—one of which, Samuel’s, is owned by Paul Rudd, Hilarie Burton, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Festivals normally held at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, celebrating classic cars, sheep and wool, antiques, crafts, food, and more, as well as the outstanding county fair itself, were much missed in 2020—as were the world-class cultural offerings at Bard’s Fisher Center—but should be all the more joyous when they return. The Olde Rhinebeck Aerodrome offered socially distanced biplane rides all summer long. And Sinterklaas, a town-wide winter festival crafted by Jeanne Fleming, the artist behind New York’s Halloween Parade that’s a massive, magical love-fest for the community’s children, is providing online festivities this year and looking to next. “This area stands up well to pressure,” says Pensiero. “I’ve got the farmhouse I bought in 1998 and I could cash out, take my dogs and my life partner Cornelius and go. But why leave? I love Rhinebeck.”

THE MARKET Rachel Hyman-Rouse, an agent with Gary DiMauro Real Estate, was celebrating an exceptional closing when we spoke in late October. “The quintessential dream farmhouse,” she says. “We started showing it Thursday and had to shut it down on Monday; we had seven offers. It first listed at $1,950,000; it sold at $2,550,000. Both the seller and the buyer were thrilled with the deal, and if I had 20 more I could sell them tomorrow. We’ve been busy seven days a week, changing lives.” Buyers are seeking—and finding—homes with a touch of character, says Hyman-Rouse, not the “1980s vinyl-sided Colonials, it’s got to have some design virtues or a view. And now in particular, people want smooth transactions—there’s a premium on turn-key, move in-ready homes.” At the end of October, a look at 80 Rhinebeck listings revealed exactly one house for under $200,000—a two-bedroom split-level on the edge of town on the market for $199,500. Modest three-bedrooms and condos were listing between $275,000 to $300,000; larger and newer three and four-bedroom homes on lots larger than an acre were listing between $300,000 to $400,000. Closer to the village center, one could find a cozy two-bedroom on a streamside acre with redone kitchen, bath, and mechanicals for $425,000 and a 19th-century two-story with wrap around porch and saltwater in-ground pool for $445,000. Larger and statelier village homes were listing between $500,000 to $700,000, along with brand-new condos in the Gardens at Rhinebeck, and a three-bedroom Colonial farmhouse on a 2.2 acre River Road lot was listed at $575,000, a four-bedroom contemporary with river and Catskills views for $795,000. Listed at just over a million dollars was a 16-bedroom, 3-acre estate with “good bones” but in need of some TLC. At $1,500,000, there was the 1840 Veranda House, a six-bedroom, six-bath Montgomery Street manse with fully updated interiors.

New York State Thruway Exit 19 (Kingston) via the Kingston/Rhinecliff Bridge, 15 minutes from the Taconic State Parkway, and just under an hour from I-84. The Rhinecliff Amtrak station, a seven-minute drive, offers departures every hour or two to both Penn Station in New York City and to Albany/Rensselaer, and train connections can be made to Newark International Airport. Closer airports include Stewart International in Newburgh (about an hour away) and Albany International (about 1 hour 10 minutes), and there are multiple airport car services connecting Rhinebeck to JFK, Newark, and LaGuardia airports.

NEAREST HOSPITAL: Northern Dutchess Hospital, an 84-bed, acute care community hospital with numerous specialty care centers, is located in the Village of Rhinebeck. SCHOOLS: Rhinebeck Central Schools serve students in grades K-5 at Chancellor Livingston Elementary School, grades 6-8 at Bulkeley Middle School, and grades 9-12 at Rhinebeck High School. Progressive private options include Primrose Hill in Rhinebeck, serving grades pre-K through five, Oakwood Friends School for grades six to 12 in Poughkeepsie; and Woodstock Day School and the Sudbury School, both serving pre-K through grade 12 in Woodstock. Northern Dutchess Christian Academy in nearby Red Hook serves students in grades K-12. The nonprofit Astor Learning Center in Rhinebeck offers therapeutic and special needs educational and mental health services to grades K through eight. POINTS OF INTEREST: Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Wilderstein Historic Site, Beekman Arms Inn, Ferncliff Forest Preserve, Poet’s Walk Park, Izlind Integrative Institute, Burger Hill Park, Aba’s Falafel, Gigi’s Trattoria, Oblong Books and Music, Samuel’s Sweet Shop, Oliver Kita Chocolates, Rhinebeck Department Store, Winter Sun Summer Moon, Culinary Institute of America, Fisher Center at Bard College

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COM M U N N IT Y

HUNTER

Tell It on the Mountain By Anne Pyburn Craig

erched atop the eastern High Peaks of the Catskills, the town of Hunter includes the incorporated villages of Hunter and Tannersville and the hamlets of Haines Falls and Elka Park, lands so hilly and wild that indigenous folk hadn’t settled them. The Platte Clove, also known as the Devil’s Kitchen, requires absolute alertness from hikers and drivers alike, rife with perilous switchbacks and sudden drops—but oh, those views. This is the landscape that summoned artists to tramp into the wild in the 1800s and birthed the Hudson River School. Settlers showed up via either Platte, Kaaterskill, or Stony Clove and started subsistence farms; tanneries, lumber mills, and furniture makers arose among the ample hemlock, hardwood, and running water. At the end of the 19th century, railroads carried tourists to the mountaintops; tourism became and would remain the area’s lifeblood, declining when the Catskills fell out of fashion for a time and came roaring back with the coming of ski resorts on Hunter and nearby Windham Mountain. The boundless resourcefulness of mountain folks is no myth, and the 21st century has been defined by the community-building efforts of smart nonprofits. The Hunter Foundation, founded in 1997, works with businesses, the school district, and likeminded agencies to bolster vibrant

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communities. The foundation operates a farm, Fromer Market Gardens, which saw a 27-percent revenue increase in 2020 and donations of 500 pounds of food thus far during COVID; the Colonial Country Club, which recently instituted night golf and has seen membership soar and revenues up 44 percent; and the Tannersville Antique and Artisan Center, which has found purchasers for over 2,700 pieces from 35 members this year, all while officially shut down. All Hunter Foundation properties stay on the community’s tax rolls. In the works are a community kitchen and culinary hub, and the restoration of Tannersville’s Gooseberry Creek and Rip Van Winkle Lake for communal recreation. THE SCENE “I’d say Hunter has taken 2020 in stride,” says Jason Dugo, a 25-year area resident. Born in Rockland County, he first came to the area as a teen to ski and snowboard. Trained in hospitality, he traveled some, but the Catskills called to him and he now lives near the Hunter town line with his three kids and four dogs, selling houses. “We have four-season ecotourism to die for,” Dugo says. “But really, between swimming, hiking, camping, golfing, breweries, wineries, festivals—we used to have a shoulder season when it was slow, but that’s gotten a lot shorter.”

Besides hosting naturally socially distant fun like skiing and snowboarding, Hunter Mountain Resort is “capable of doing just about everything outside,” Dugo says, with patios, outdoor bars, and beer gardens, food tents, and roaring fire pits. “It’s a wonderful atmosphere,” he says, “and lots of people who have never even gotten on skis go just for the camaraderie.” The resort’s far from the only choice. Hunter’s dining scene in both villages is robust and practiced, with mainstays such as Maggie’s Krooked Cafe, Last Chance Cheese and Antiques, and Pancho Villa’s. Recent years have seen the addition of new favorites: Jessie’s Harvest House, Deer Mountain Inn, and Prospect at Scribner’s Catskill Lodge magnetizing a “whole new demographic, a new vibe. Hunter was already becoming a thumbtack on a lot of people’s world maps, and as people look to settle, the notoriety has stuck,” Dugo says. Cultural highlights include the Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Doctorow Center for the Arts in Hunter and the Orpheum Film and Performing Arts Center in Tannersville, both eagerly awaiting the abatement of the virus to roar back to life. The foundation also operates the Piano Performance Museum, a gallery and bookstore, and a natural farm and arts education programs at its Sugar Maples center

THE FACTS ZIP CODE: 12442 POPULATION: Village of Hunter, 451; Village of Tannersville, 512; Town of Hunter total, 2,642 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $27,417 PROXIMITY TO MAJOR CITY: New York City is 133 miles south; Albany is 60 miles north TRANSPORTATION: Hunter is about half an hour from the New York State Thruway, via either Exit 20 (Saugerties) or Exit 21 (Catskill). The Hudson Amtrak station, with regular service to New York City and Albany, is 45 minutes away via Rt. 23A and the Rip Van Winkle Bridge. The nearest airports are Albany International (1 hour, 13 minutes) and Stewart International in Newburgh (1 hour 17 minutes.) NEAREST HOSPITAL: HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston, 47 minutes.

The view from the top of Hunter Mountain. Photo courtesy Hunter Mountain/Vail Resorts

for Creative Arts. The Peace Village Learning and Retreat Center is offering online retreats, undoubtedly exposing still more newbies to Hunter’s wonders. The Mountaintop Library has been offering curbside book pickup six days a week at two locations, running a food drive, and hooking locals up with free meditation and mindfulness teaching and free access to Ancestry.com. Its Free Stuff Cart circulates books, movies, puzzles, and crafts, and socially distanced activities are going strong (a story walk focused on mushrooms and a Rip Van Winkle Halloween were on the program in late October.) The Mountain Top Arboretum is 178 acres of public meadow, forest and garden space with an education center focused on the region’s ecosystem and native plants. And at Wellness Rx LLC in Tannersville, you can get your prescription filled, your blood pressure checked, and access to a broad and deep base of holistic wisdom on incorporating natural wellness into your health care. “You don’t have to love sports to love the Hunter life,” says Dugo. “This is a great place to just come do nothing. The villages have that lively downtown feel, you can find what you need, and then as soon as you go down a side road you’re in the wild, with gorgeous curvy roads. This is not the suburbs.” To improve access to all that beauty and lessen risks, the state recently installed an ADA-accessible viewing platform at Kaaterskill Falls.

THE MARKET “We have a nice, diverse group of new families joining us in paradise here,” says real estate agent Phillipe Uhrik, who works with Win Morrison Realty. “People started as weekenders and then got hooked, and it’s been trending up for five years or so—now it is flat out on fire. Stuff’s going for $50,000 over market; people are laying down big bucks to get a patch of land. The average used to be $10,000 an acre for raw land; now the low end is more like $20,000, up to $30,000 in some cases. If you see something you love, don’t wait.” At the end of October, the median listing price in Hunter was $332,000 on Realtor.com, but one and two-bedroom apartments near the slopes were listing for $30,000-$45,000 and a few smaller freestanding homes, as well as condos, town houses, and fixer-uppers were priced under $200,000. Between $200,00 and $400,000 you’ll find fancier condos and a few larger houses, some with views. Stylish contemporaries and larger updated farmhouses with acreage and views start around $500,000. In the higher six figures you’ll find big rambling places; a 10-bedroom, 10-bath single family, on a 2.8 acre lot on Hunter’s Main Street, was listed for $825,000. Your widest mountaintop dreams can come true: two attached homes on a 10-acre spread, finished with granite and bamboo inside and featuring tennis and basketball courts, heated pool, and multiple fireplaces have a starting price of $1,699,000.

SCHOOLS: The Hunter-Tannersville Central School District serves students pre-K through sixth grade at Hunter Elementary School and seven through 12 at Hunter Tannersville Jr-Sr High. Private options include the Platte Clove School, serving grades K-8 and operated by the Bruderhof, as well as Woodstock Day School (preK-12), Hudson Valley Sudbury School (ages 5-18), and the Northern Dutchess Christian Academy in Red Hook (K-12). POINTS OF INTEREST: Catskill Park Forest Preserve, Hunter Mountain Ski Resort, Kaaterskill Falls, North/South Lake State Park, Ski Windham, Doctorow Center for the Arts, Orpheum Performing Arts Center, Sugar Maple Center for Performing Arts, Opus 40, Jagerberg Beer Hall and Tavern, Hunter Mountain Brewery, American Glory BBQ, Mama’s Boy Burgers, Last Chance Antiques and Cheese Cafe, Maggie’s Krooked Cafe, Ze Windham Wine Bar, Jessie’s Harvest House, Wellness RX LLC.

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HO U S E PRO FIL E

Top: Joan Goldberg’s studio features her nuno felt pieces inspired by animal prints. The bentwood chair by the window is part of a series of everyday objects Goldberg covered in bottle caps. Bottom: The wildflower and rock garden just off the deck in front of the house. Bowling balls from Goldberg’s collection are visible among the rocks.

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ARTISTS IN

RESIDENCE A Modernist Live/Work Home in Cragsmoor

By Brian K. Mahoney Photos by Winona Barton-Ballentine he road south from Ellenville on Route 52 along the spine of the Shawangunk Ridge is one of the most picturesque in the region. With the valley dropping off to the west and the steep pitch of the road, it can feel like driving straight into the clouds. No wonder, then, that artists have long been attracted to the lofty perch at the western edge of Ulster County known as Cragsmoor. The hamlet began drawing artists in the late 19th century, and an arts colony formed by such esteemed painters as George Inness Jr. and Charles C. Curran and has been home to creatives ever since. Today, the area is more well known for its hiking, notably at Sam’s Point Preserve, which has attracted a bumper crop of nature seekers since the start of the pandemic. Top: Beat Keerl and Joan Goldberg’s concrete home in Cragsmoor was designed by Keerl to duplicate, on two levels, the SoHo loft where he lived for over 40 years. Bottom: Goldberg and Keerl on their deck, which looks out on a brook and forest abutting state land. upstate HOUSE

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The main area of first floor is open, connecting the kitchen to the left with the dining area near the staircase and the living room area in the right foreground. On the wall to the left are masks from Mexico, New Guinea, Indonesia, Africa, as well as part of Goldberg’s father’s spoon collection. The artwork on the wall under the window is a self-portrait by Keerl, Tethys I. The multiple-exposure effect is achieved through a strobe light and a Photoshop filter.

A partial view of Keerl’s studio, including his musical instruments, lighting equipment, and his self-portrait, Tethys II.

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The main space of Keerl’s studio contains storage for his work as well as large-format Epson printer. The doorway leads to a mezzanine looking down on the first floor and a passage to Goldberg’s studio.

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Artists continue to make Cragsmoor their home, innovating along the way, as artists do. Meet photographer Beat Keerl and multimedia artist Joan Goldberg. Tired of driving three-and-a-half hours from Manhattan to Keerl’s weekend home in the Delaware County town of Hancock, the couple began looking for a residence closer to New York City where they could live full-time. The couple had friends in Pine Bush, so they began a search radiating out from there and found Cragsmoor. “We fell in love with Cragsmoor,” says Goldberg, “but couldn’t find a house we loved.” A Home Built Around Windows Unable to buy a dream home, Keerl and Goldberg decided to build one. In 2010, the couple bought eight acres off Cragsmoor Road. The land features a picturesque gorge with a stream meandering down the hillside. The view from the house, says Keerl, can make the woods seems as if “it’s been untouched by the hand of man.” Inspired by the concrete homes of architect Tom Kundig, Keerl drew up plans for a Modernist concrete box that would mimic, on two levels, the layout of the SoHo loft where he lived for over 40 years. Working with Pine-Bush based builders, Wood Chips Construction, the house took 18 months to complete. Essentially a concrete box with a standing seam roof, the walls are 12 inches thick, with four inches of insulation sandwiched between four inches of concrete on either side, creating a building envelope that is tight as a drum, ably holding in the warmth of the radiant floor heating and the sunlight that pours in through the many south-facing windows and glass doors. The windows and doors were made by Optimum Window, an Ellenville-based manufacturer of custom high-tech metal window and door systems designed for commercial, high-end residential, and landmark applications. When asked what his favorite room in the house is, Keerl responds with Dadaist peculiarity (he’s a fan of Man Ray): “The windows. The windows are all paintings. They allow you to walk slowly past the landscape.” (It’s no coincidence that architect Tom Kundig has also used Optimum Window for many of his concrete building projects.) Let There Be Light The 3,400-square-foot house has no basement, and just one bedroom. (Goldberg’s studio, which has its own bathroom—complete with a Phillipe Starck-designed Duravit tub framed against an oversized window looking out onto the hillside—converts into a second bedroom when guests spend the night.) The first floor of the house is mainly open plan, with the dining, living, and kitchen area all merging in the middle of the house under an atrium and second floor mezzanine the connects Keerl and Goldberg’s studios. The bedroom and bathroom are at west end of the house; both rooms feature glass doors that open on to a wooden deck. A garage in the building’s east end house Keerl’s tools and two vehicles he’s restored, a 1975 Jeep and a 1973 Honda CB 500 motorcycle.

Top: Goldberg’s workbench in her studio contains some of the scissors and tools of the felting trade. Goldberg’s focus is on nuno felting, a technique that bonds loose fibers like wool with sheer fabric like silk gauze, creating felt that’s much lighter in weight than traditional all-wool felt. The process “melds fibers together like dreadlocks,” Goldberg says. Bottom: The bank of windows in the living room look out on the deck and the forest and creek below. The windows and doors throughout the house were custom-made by Optimum Windows in Ellenville, which specializes in commercial and high-end residential projects. 28

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C.G. Stone, inC C G R E G O RY S T O N E . C O M

Christopher Gregory, Stonemason

Luxury

Breathtaking designs. Exquisite craftsmanship. Elite, concierge-style service. One-of-a-kind, custom design/builds starting at $350K.

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David Burke Architects Beacon, New York 646.387.4680 914-474-6582 | conklinarchitecture@gmail.com

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A narrow set of stairs leads to Keerl’s studio on the second floor, a large open space (the ceilings peak at 16 feet) that is part photography studio, part rehearsal space, and part archive of his work. Shelves are full of reference materials, framed photos, and folders of papers. A workstation crowded with computers, printers, and assorted electronics anchors one end of the room while a large, abstract self-portrait of Keerl dominates the other. A doorway leads to a mezzanine looking down on the first floor and a passage to Goldberg’s studio. Part of her artistic practice is centered on nuno felting, a technique that bonds loose fibers like wool with sheer fabric like silk gauze, creating felt that’s much lighter in weight than traditional all-wool felt. Area rug-sized pieces are pinned to the wall, what Goldberg calls her “fantasy animal skins.” A bentwood chair by the window is part of a series of everyday objects she covered in bottle caps. Goldberg is a consummate collector, and her studio shows off her eclectic taste and sentimental attachment to her items passed down in her family. There’s a taxidermy deer head above the bathroom door. “That’s the nice thing about high ceilings,” says Goldberg. “You can raise up your collections.” A glass fronted bookcase is a pedestal for various objet d’art, including an anatomical cross-section of a head, which once belonged to her father, an ear, nose, and throat doctor and a statue her grandfather picked up on Easter Island. Goldberg also collects bowling balls (“I just like spheres,” she says), many of which are scattered among the rocks off the front deck. She bought the majority of them at a bowling alley in Hancock, but says that she doesn’t come across as many as she used to at yard sales. “They’re getting harder to find because the bowling alleys are closing up,” Goldberg says. One of Keerl’s current projects is rooted in Cragsmoor’s artistic legacy. Keerl and others in the hamlet are currently planning and fundraising for Cragsmoor Contemporary Arts, a non-profit art center that would include multiple galleries, a library, and small theater forpresenting exhibitions of a wide range of contemporary art, dance, and film. An Honest Material The no-embellishment minimalism of the home’s interior suits the couple’s overstuffed collecting aesthetic well. The broad expanses of white wall throughout the home cry out for art, and the couple’s collection includes work by David Hockney, Louise Lawler, David White, and Man Ray, along with dozens of paintings by the couple’s relatives (a deep artistic streak runs in their families). And just as objects and artwork decorate the home’s gallery-like interior, the concrete shell of the home operates in a similar fashion, highlighting the sinuous, chaotic beauty of nature, being a sort of permeable membrane between the wonder of the natural world on the outside and the exquisite humanmade objects within. “I love the way concrete looks. It’s very honest and straightforward, Brutalist,” says Goldberg, who didn’t expect to find a material so hard and austere so appealing. “It never occurred to me that I wanted a dream house,” she says, “until we built a dream house.” Top: The view of the house’s only bedroom from the deck. The concrete floor in the bedroom is tinted green. “We chose that shade of green to give the room a watery hue,” says Keerl. The brass bed was bought for $100 from an antiques dealer in Milwaukee in 1968. The photo over the bed is an Orange County landscape from Keerl’s Horizontals series. Bottom: The couple sourced most of their kitchen from Green Demolitions, a recycler and reseller of luxury pre-owned kitchens and renovation items. The cabinets, sink, and island are from Ikea. The granite countertops are from New York Granite in New Windsor. upstate HOUSE

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SP ONS O RED CO N TE N T

BOLD MOVE

How to Seamlessly Add Saturated Paint Colors to Your Home

f you’ve ever let a catchy name sway your choice in paint color, you’re not alone. After all, that’s part of why they have names in the first place. Foggy Morning, Rosy Peach, Potters Clay—all paint names from Benjamin Moore—evoke a specific ambiance as much as a description of the color itself. The name Aegean Teal evokes images of the Mediterranean, salt-scrubbed sailboats, and sunny summer days. The blue-green hue is as soothing as its name implies, which made it the perfect choice for Benjamin Moore’s 2021 color of the year. “Amid uncertainty, people yearn for stability. The colors we surround ourselves with can have a powerful impact on our emotions and wellbeing,” says Andrea Magno, Benjamin Moore director of Color Marketing & Development. With all the difficulties of the past year, the calming color is sure to appeal to many people as they take on indoor projects this winter. Venturing into bold, saturated colors like Aegean Teal, however, can be an intimidating step in anyone’s home design. For a few tips on how to seamlessly incorporate bold paint color choices into your home, we turned to the pros at Williams Lumber and Home Centers, an authorized 32

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retailer of Benjamin Moore paints. With multiple locations, including two design centers in Pleasant Valley and Rhinebeck, Williams has been a go-to for home improvement in the Hudson Valley since 1946. Select Your Space Bold paint colors create a dramatic splash in any room, so it’s important to take time to think about the mood you want to cultivate in the space. Greens and blues are known for their soothing effects, while reds, oranges, and yellows can be more invigorating. Colors like magenta and purple can add a more artistic, creative vibe. If you don’t already have your heart set on a color family, take a look at the surfaces and textures in your house. The color and warmth of hardwood floors, countertops, rugs, and furniture can help you determine which paint colors will coordinate best with what you already have and help narrow down your options. You can also use Benjamin Moore’s Color Portfolio app to visualize any of their colors in your existing space. “The app is great for comparing colors from the comfort of your home. After you’ve selected your perfect color, you can order the paint online and come pick it up at the store,” says Kim Williams, Williams’

Presented by:

Benjamin Moore’s 2021 color of the year is Aegean Teal, a soothing blue-green with hints of gray. All images courtesy of Benjamin Moore.

WILLIAMSLUMBER.COM

vice president of Retail Operations. “It’s a wonderful time-saver, especially when you want to travel less during the winter.” If the idea of painting a large room a bold color has you hesitating, a simple pop of color can also go a long way. Smaller spaces like a half bathroom, hallway, or alcove offer an easy opportunity to play with color without commiting to a major statement. You can also use saturated colors to add depth to the rest of your home’s color palette by painting interior doors, cabinets, and trim an unexpected hue. Style It Your Own Way The last thing you want is for a paint color you love to just not feel like you when the project is complete. Small details like paint finish, trim color, fixture materials, and wall texture can make a big impact on the paint’s final look. Sheen, or paint finish, is a measure of how much light reflects off the paint—a surface effect that includes flat, matte, eggshell, satin, and gloss. A flat or matte finish can soften a bold paint because it absorbs more light, whereas a satin paint or high-gloss finish will draw your eye to the paint color as soon as you enter the room.

When it comes to trim colors, think outside classic white. White trim will make a bold-colored wall feel more crisp and traditional, but if you want to go for an edgier, artistic look, opt for a contrasting hue or monochromatic trim that matches the wall instead. If the space you’re painting has a lot of hard fixtures like countertops, faucets, or knobs, consider swapping those out to level up your new paint selection. While your stainless steel faucets might have been a great match for your light blue kitchen, your new saturated walls can feel more modern with high-contrast fixtures in bronze, copper, black, and gold. New paint also doesn’t have to feel brand new. If you like a more lived-in aesthetic, you can try a technique known as color washing or glaze painting. Inspired by the heathered look of painted plaster, color washing walls is a decorative touch that gives any space a romantic, naturally aged look. Benjamin Moore has a latex glaze made for mixing directly with a darker paint color of your choice that you can apply over a lighter base coat with a brush, rag, or sponge to achieve this stylish textural effect. upstate HOUSE

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DES IG N PRO FIL E

THE BLANK WALL IS TIRED

Sean Scherer’s Authentic Interiors By Susan Barnett Photos by William Abranowicz

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inimalism may not survive COVID-19. The shutdown has forced us to experience home with striking intensity. An environment of comfort, familiarity, and warmth, is what many of us are now are craving when we look around where we live. Sean Scherer’s Kabinett & Kammer, tucked away in the Catskills village of Franklin, offers just that. (The shop’s name comes from the German words for cabinet and chamber.) Scherer, a painter who’s shown extensively in the US and Europe, views interior design as an artistic conversation between interesting objects and their space. Kabinett & Kammer is home to Scherer’s unconstrained visual vocabulary, an ever-changing display of thoughtfully juxtaposed vintage and modern furniture and accessories. Bold floral wallpaper meets a deep yellow, wood-paneled wall. A taxidermy goat head emerges from a wallmounted floral tray. Arrangements of prints, books, dried flowers, mirrors, old clock faces, baskets, commonplace items displayed in unexpected ways—it’s all part of what becomes, in essence, a still life, a vignette, a series of experiences. “It’s all

about making an interior feel naturally layered and acquired over time, with all those imperfections included,” Scherer explains. His designs are a revolt against minimalism as a habit. “What strikes me about the shelter magazine business today,” Scherer says, “is how fake and staged almost all the homes look. They are cold. There’s no realness, no authenticity to these interiors—that blank-wall aesthetic is tired.” Scherer’s design aesthetic is illustrated in glorious color in Sean Scherer’s Kabinett & Kammer: Creating Authentic Interiors (Vendome Publishing, 2020). And that aesthetic is anything but austere. The use of color is bold. The display of items is dense, and often unexpected. Each page is a feast for the eyes, just as he describes his conception for the shop he opened in 2007 in his new book: “The whole store would be a revolving work of art and would act as a laboratory for my evolving collections and displays. I also wanted to emphasize the modernity of the utilitarian pieces I favored: objects and furniture that people made in their barns for specific purposes and uses. They weren’t intended to be artistic, but simplicity combined with practicality—plus years of use—had transformed them from the ordinary into the extraordinary.” A living room renovation by Scherer: Custom wallpaper—created from enlargements of photographs of the early blue transferware dishes in the cabinet— covers an entire wall. The blue is picked up in the denim sofa and toile-patterned throw pillows.

A display in Kabinett & Kammer that combines a cheerful pink cabinet with an Italian tole rose branch, a porcelain chicken, and a bicycle poster.

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FIVE DESIGN TIPS FROM SEAN SCHERER 1. Buy what you love. It’s been said many times before, but it is so true—if you love it you will find a way to incorporate it in your home. 2. Don’t worry about rules: There are none. Have fun in your home. It’s the way to express yourself the most truly. 3. Use color. Too much white washes things out and makes for a boring home. It’s amazing how even one accent wall in a bold color can warm a room. 4. Mix it up. Play with different textures and shapes and periods. Go for a mood as opposed to a style. 5. Think of your home as a story. What narrative are you trying to tell? And what do you want to share with those you invite into your home?

Sean Scherer in Kabinett & Kammer, the design shop he opened in the Catskills in 2007. Scherer’s intention: “The whole store would be a revolving work of art and would act as a laboratory for my evolving collection and displays.” A blue living room combines Scherer’s use of bold color with his love of taxidermy, salonstyle presentation of artwork, and comfort.

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A stately library designed by Scherer combines soothing green tones with a taxidermy bear.

The ground floor of this former firehouse has been transformed into kitchen. A few large pieces, including an antiques store counter that serves as an island and a tall file cabinet add scale and counterbalance the ornate spiral stair. upstate HOUSE

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A living room renovation by Scherer: Aqua walls combine with natural materials like raw linen and primitive wood furniture, as well as vintage kilim pillows and rugs, to cozy up the room.

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ARTISTIC TRADITION Scherer has been featured in the New York Times multiple times, as well as House Beautiful, Country Living, and Sweet Paul magazine. He left the city after 9/11, and opened his first shop when a friend offered him storefront space in the Delaware County village of Andes. Two years ago, he moved 20 miles farther north to Franklin. Wait. Where? “I’ve always loved Franklin,” Scherer says. “It is one of the most historically intact villages upstate, and one of the best kept secrets in the region.” The Village of Franklin, in fact, is on the National Historic Registry. Its main street is lined with stately white homes and equally stately maple trees. Franklin has a long artistic tradition. It is home to the Stagecoach Run Art Festival, an annual self-guided tour of local art galleries, and the Franklin Stage, an Actor’s Equity professional theater that hosts productions throughout the summer. At least in normal summers. But Franklin has been relatively off the radar for the new generation of downstate visitors and expats. Until recently. Scherer and his partner, fashion designer Gary Graham, opened adjoining stores in a building they bought at 422 Main Street. They live in Franklin full time, making their home above the shops. Their living room, and Graham’s studio, are both featured in Scherer’s book. Scherer, Graham, and Bea’s at 422, a cafe and market that opened in the same building, have all seemed to thrive since their arrival, even in the year of the pandemic. In fact, Scherer said this past summer was one of his best seasons ever. “I think people are not spending as much on travel,” Scherer says. “So, they’re investing in where they live.”

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MORE IS LESS Much of Kabinett & Kammer’s business is internet-based, and Scherer’s new book is adding to his international reputation. “There’s been a fabulous reaction to the book,” he says. “My publisher, Vendome, has ordered another printing just to keep up. It was a number one new release on Amazon in Antiques and Decorative Arts, and number six in Design.” The book features not only pictures from his shop and home, but photos of interiors he has designed for private clients. The foreword is from one happy celebrity customer, CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper. Cooper’s home is an 8,400-square-foot former firehouse, where Scherer has created a distinctly masculine, clubby vibe. Cooper wrote, in the book’s foreword, that he wanted his home to be “a kind of cabinet of curiosities, like the home of an explorer from the turn of the century, a personal museum full of art and books and objects collected over the years.” The kitchen features herringbone brick floors, dark vintage wood cabinetry, and, of course, a fire engine red metal staircase. A library has overstuffed chairs, a leather couch, walls of books, and a massive stuffed bear. Most of his customers, Scherer said, are not interested in the pedigree of an antique. Neither is he. “It’s about shape and form and how items relate to each other,” he explains. “The antique business has changed. The market is about decorative value, not about whether an item is authentic. It’s a more modern approach.” Yet Scherer has nothing against minimalism. “I love the Shakers,” he said. “And they’re certainly minimalist.”

architect spotlight

James Wagman Architect, LLC Where: New York City and Hillsdale, New York What: New Construction, Additions, and Renovation for Residential and Institutional Projects that Utilize Passive House and High-Performance Standards.

Clockwise from top: In Hillsdale, Wagman designed his family’s house to fit their lifestyle. View of exterior looking southeast. Yoga studio. Entry vestibule. Photos by Sean Litchfield.

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n 2005, architect James Wagman, his wife Anne, and their two small children began renting a small weekend house in Hillsdale with striking views of the Berkshires. According to Wagman, the house was unprepossessing, but its large windows allowed them to experience the beauty of the landscape around it. Two years later, they bought the property and eventually decided to tear down the house. On the original footprint, Wagman designed a new house inspired by the surrounding farmhouses that was tailor-made to the family’s lifestyle. “We’ve been here for 15 years and feel rooted in the community,” he says. In his time upstate, Wagman has become involved in local preservation efforts. He is a former member of the Historic Hillsdale Committee and is currently the president of the Friends of East Gate, a nonprofit dedicated to the restoration of the historic East Gate Toll House on Route 23 in Hillsdale. His award-winning New York City architecture firm has also taken on more residential projects around the region— from upstate New York to Vermont and Pennsylvania—and has developed a reputation for creating beautiful, sustainable homes that fit in harmoniously with their landscapes. Much of Wagman’s inspiration as an architect comes from Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic style and deep connection to nature. “Wright said, ‘I believe a house is more a home by being a

work of art.’ To me, everything you see or touch should be beautiful,” he says. With a clear focus on elegance of design, the homes his team designs for clients are a reflection of their location and what they mean to those who live in them. As the effects of climate change continue to intensify, Wagman also believes that building energy-efficient homes has become a mandate. His team’s 2015 transformation of a Brooklyn brownstone into a passive house-certified residence was a turning point in their evolution as green building architects. Today, Wagman and his firm are experts in passive house standards and the use of solar and other high-performance techniques that help achieve higher levels of energy independence. “As long as the envelope and mechanical systems are designed for maximum efficiency with air tightness and reductions in thermal bridging, any style of home can be built to Passive House standards,” says Wagman. As he continues to build relationships with consultants and builders in the Hudson Valley and surrounding regions, Wagman has also come to enjoy the slower pace that comes with working in the country. “The formality is gone,” he says. “You’re working at a different pace, and when you get to work with good builders and good consultants, the projects are more fun.” Jameswagman.com upstate HOUSE

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MAKERS’ MARKET

A CURATED GUIDE TO ARTISANS UPSTATE & BEYOND

DBO HOME Husband and wife designer/makers handcrafting tableware, lighting, accessories, and custom furniture in their Connecticut studios. Porcelain, wood, leather, and bronze. dbohome.com l dbo_home f dbohome

J BLISS STUDIOS Handcrafted in Woodstock by artists Joanna and Jared Bliss. One-of-a-kind jewelry, illustrations, greeting cards, and gifts. jblissstudios.com l f jblissstudios

MAJESTIC HUDSON Spiritual Boutique~Blissful Experiences Fostering connection, inspiring creativity, and supporting a compassionate lifestyle one blissful experience at a time. majestichudson.com l f majestichudson

NEW YORK HEARTWOODS Impeccably crafted furniture, and custom commercial and residential interior surfaces using wood milled from Hudson Valley fallen and urban trees. Transform your own trees into ﬁnished pieces. newyorkheartwoods.com l f newyorkheartwoods

ROB HARE MAKER OF THINGS Bespoke, handmade furniture and accessories in wood, metal, and glass. By appointment. Detail: Single plank oak desk w-hand-forged base. robhare-furnituremaker.com l robharethingmaker f RobHareMakerOfThings

ROWAN WILLIGAN An abstract artist specializing in murals and large paintings. Rowan is also a photographer and does freelance graphic design work. rowanwilligan.com l rowanwilligan f rowan.willigan

ROWAN WOODWORK A full service design and build woodworking shop. Everything from kitchen cabinets to furniture is handmade. rowanwoodwork.com l rowanwoodwork

TURNER & TURNER PAINTING Mark Turner’s creative wall and ﬂoor ﬁnishes, glazing, murals, gilding, and wallpapers adorn countless projects in Manhattan, Connecticut, Upstate NY, and the Hamptons. turnerandturnerpainting.com l turnerandturnerpainting

photo by Ann Stratton. annstratton.com

ALEMAN/MOORE These sewn straw carpets are fully functional and durable works of art, hand-crafted in New York for over 25 years. alemanmoore.com l aleman_moore

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CLEAN POWER GUIDE

IT’S YOUR HOME. TAKE CHARGE!

BY MELISSA EVERETT, PHD

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

PREMIER SPONSORS

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY clarkson.edu

NISSAN OF NEW ROCHELLE nissanofnewrochelle.com

ome matters. These days, our lives revolve around our dwellings more than ever. So it’s timely to take action on the energy upgrades we know will benefit our economics as well as the planet. Those of us who are working from home, especially, have time to notice the drafts, ruminate on the age of the heating system, and take action on the energy improvements we’ve been considering for years. The Clean Power Guide is your support system for informed action to improve energy efficiency and shift to renewable sources in your home or small business. It guides you on the most basic step to take, slashing waste and maxxing out efficiency in your energy use. It is a portal to information on solar power, heat pumps, electric vehicles and more. Sustainable Hudson Valley and Chronogram Media bring you this publication. It’s written by trusted experts, and backed by the sponsorship of some of the premier businesses and public agencies working to bring clean energy technologies to the marketplace. Available all

year, online and in print, the Clean Power Guide provides the basic, unbiased information you need to get moving off fossil fuels at home and work. In terms of technology and economics, this is an excellent time to invest in renewables. The price of solar keeps falling. Energy storage is more affordable and standardized, maximizing the benefits of your solar system. Electric vehicles are dropping in price as they increase in range, and the used EV market is making these cars even more accessible. All these options are getting close to competitive in up-front costs as well as yielding savings throughout their life cycles. Read on and imagine being part of this revolution. Melissa Everett, PhD, is executive director of Sustainable Hudson Valley, a regional organization whose mission is to speed up, scale up, jazz up, and leverage progress against climate change, creating communities where people and nature thrive.

A collaboration between SUSTAINABLE HUDSON VALLEY and upstate HOUSE | WINTER 2020/21 •

Get Retrofit

A Fossil Fuel-Free Building Future BY MELINDA MCKNIGHT

olar panels, heat pumps, and EV charging stations are signs of the shift toward clean power technologies—and the underlying electrification that makes the system more efficient. This is heartening. But to get us all off fossil fuels, the importance of reducing building energy usage through efficiency upgrades cannot be overstated. Does your building need a retrofit? Here are some of the signs that it might: rooms that are too hot or too cold; high utility bills; Unpleasant odors, stale air, or poor air quality; bubbling or peeling paint; rodents, insects, spiders, or snakes; mildew or mold; heating with dirty energy; icicles or ice dams; frequent illness of the occupants; noise (trains, traffic, or room to room). WHAT’S A BUILDING SCIENCE-BASED RETROFIT AND WHY DOES IT MATTER? Building scientists are experts who are accredited by the Building Performance Institute. They apply the laws of physics to understand how air flow, moisture, and systems within a building function together. They can see the signs of an underlying problem in order to treat more than the symptom. They also perform diagnostic testing to implement lasting solutions for healthy, safe, efficient, comfortable, durable, and fossil fuel-free buildings. Without following their guidance to improve efficiency first, building owners can fall prey to bad decision-making like installing heat pumps that are larger, more costly, and less effective at heating and cooling your home; or purchasing solar arrays that are larger and cost more to provide for your electric needs. WHAT DOES A BUILDING RETROFIT ENTAIL? A building retrofit begins with an examination of the building, including a visual inspection and diagnostic testing. An essential part of the process is dialog with the property owner to understand any concerns about the indoor environment and to become clear on their goals. Based on the information collected, a scope of work proposal is created that generally includes: removal of old,

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damaged insulation; ventilation—passive and mechanical; air sealing (top plates, plumbing and electrical penetrations, drywall seams, vent hoses); vapor barrier; new insulation (cellulose, rockwool, closed cell spray foam, or extruded SPF polyisocyanurate) in attics, under floors, walls, and kneewall attics; duct sealing and insulation; and air purification I ALREADY HAVE INSULATION IN MY ATTIC AND BASEMENT. ISN’T THAT GOOD ENOUGH? The truth is that it depends on the type of insulation, its condition, and if air sealing was performed. Air sealing reduces the ways that air enters or leaves the building. It is important to have some fresh air come into the building, but not so much that you experience drafts and high utility bills. Allowing just the right amount of air to enter and leave your building is key in order to maintain the health of the occupants. Building scientists know how to calculate the Building Airflow Standard for buildings to ensure you maintain proper ventilation. Most buildings were insulated with fiberglass— pink, yellow, or white. Fiberglass works well inside wall cavities, where it is enclosed between framing, sheathing, and drywall. When fiberglass is used in attics, crawlspaces, or basements, it does not work nearly as well because air passes right through it. This is why it becomes so dirty. The fiberglass filters the air as it enters or leaves your heated living space. Fiberglass is often improperly installed, which can create conditions leading to mold growth or off-gassing due to wood decay. Fiberglass is also an excellent nesting material for rodents and insects as well as the source of dust indoors. These factors can contribute to respiratory issues in children and adults. IS SPRAY FOAM THE BEST INSULATION MATERIAL? If you are talking about R-value (how much the insulation material resists heat transfer), yes, but only if it is closed-cell spray foam. Closed-

cell spray foam has the highest R-Value (R-7 per inch) but it is also the most expensive and not best for all situations. Open-cell spray foam is much less costly than closed-cell spray foam; however, more material is needed for it to perform well. We recommend that open-cell spray foam be used only in commercial buildings, as it can have a long period of off-gassing chemical fumes. This type of foam is also attractive to rodents for nesting material. There are other very effective insulation materials available and choosing the best one for you can only be accomplished by understanding your particular situation, goals, and budget. DO I NEED TO DO IT “ALL-AT-ONCE” OR CAN I STAGE THE PROJECT? It is possible to accomplish your project any way that best matches your needs and your budget. There are advantages to each. It makes sense to do what works best for you. HOW DO I ACHIEVE A FOSSIL FUEL-FREE, NET ZERO HOME? The first step is to reduce energy consumption. The ways to reduce energy usage include: 1. Switch to LED light bulbs. 2. Install professional air sealing techniques. 3. Upgrade your insulation. 4. Upgrade your hot water heater. 5. Install continuous, professional grade hot water pipe insulation. 6. Invest in Energy Smart appliances. Once energy consumption is reduced, the next step is to install solar panels (if you can) or to buy solar energy. If you decide to install solar panels, it would be worth considering a back-up storage system to become energy independent. The last step on the journey is to install air source or ground source heat pumps to provide clean comfort all year long.

Melinda McKnight is the EVP at Energy Conservation Services, a Kingston-based home performance contracting firm.

(FOSSIL FUELS NOT NEEDED)

A collaboration between SUSTAINABLE HUDSON VALLEY and upstate HOUSE | WINTER 2020/21 â&#x20AC;¢

SEVEN SOLAR STRENGTHS FOR 2021 BY DAVE CONOVER

THE SUN IS ABUNDANT Former Vice President Al Gore often notes that there is enough solar energy reaching the Earth in one hour to meet the world’s energy needs for a year. Photovoltaic panels already power 2.3 million US households and the solar industry is bigger than coal or steel. The International Energy Agency recently declared that solar offers the cheapest form of electricity in history. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar has an annual growth rate of 49 percent over the last decade. THE PRICE OF SOLAR IS DROPPING FAST According to EnergySage, the average cost of solar power has dropped from $3.69 per watt in 2015 to $2.09 today. A 6 kW system in New York (enough for a modest house) costs $15,900 to $21,300 before state incentives and tax credits. THE SUN HAS A WARRANTY Well, solar (PV) panels do! They are a long-term investment that can last up to 30 years. Panels generally have warranties that cover equipment (defects, premature wear) and also performance. Equipment warranties last from 10 to 25 years, and should guarantee no more than a 10 to 20 percent loss of performance over the life of the panel. Read the fine print.

Reliable and Trustworthy Your Neighbors at Work!

YOU DON’T NEED PANELS If your place isn’t properly oriented to the sun, or is shaded, or if you rent, you may want to consider a community solar subscription service where customers gain access to energy savings from electricity produced at a solar farm. They’ll save you money too. Through a larger-scale variation, Community Choice Aggregation, entire towns and communities can source their power from the sun (though by law individuals can opt out). Central Hudson’s Clean Energy Marketplace offers incentives and allows you to compare and estimate savings when choosing community solar. Check if your energy provider offers something similar. YOUR METER CAN RUN BACKWARD If your PV system is connected to the grid (as most are), you have access to “net metering.” Whenever your panels produce more electricity than you’re using, the surplus gets put back into the grid, making the economics of solar even better. Current regulations in New York on net metering are in transition but your installation contractor will be on top of them. YOU CAN PUT THE SUN IN A BOX If the box is a battery, that is. Battery storage is fast dropping in price thanks to standard models like Tesla’s Powerwall, but storage can also be customized for your needs.

RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL SOLAR AND HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS

NEW YORK LOVES THE SUN The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act was passed last year and provides a template for New York State to transition off of fossil fuels, starting with the ambitious target of 70 percent carbon-free electricity by 2030. A major focus is on making sure renewables are affordable and accessible for people without a ton of money, so watch for solar energy to be even more visible going forward.

Serving the greater Hudson Valley since 2009 4 Cherry Hill Rd. New Paltz, NY 12561 • 845.417.3485

lighthousesolarny.com 44

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Dave Conover is the program coordinator for Sustainable Hudson Valley.

Where engineering and innovation ignite sustainable clean power solutions. BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE Clarkson’s research and innovation network informs the energy policies and develops the technologies that lead to the creation of sustainable infrastructure, smart communities and the security of societies.

A collaboration between SUSTAINABLE HUDSON VALLEY and upstate HOUSE | WINTER 2020/21 • 4 5 LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR INITIATIVES, PARTNERSHIPS AND OPPORTUNITIES AT: discover.clarkson.edu/cleanpower

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GOING GEOTHERMAL A HOME MAKEOVER IN SAUGERTIES BY WAYNE DEDERICK

Wayne Dederick’s Saugerties home with geothermal field, solar array, and electric vehicle charging station.

grew up on a farm in Saugerties. I worked in house repair and construction while in college and became comfortable with both plumbing and electricity. I became a chemistry teacher at Red Hook High School, hence I had a solid understanding of electricity, phase changes, photovoltaic (PV) technology, and more. My wife and I designed and built our house in 1978 using plans from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. We were serious about energy performance; it was built with nine-inch walls and passive solar technology. I became an avid reader on solar and geothermal systems. After retiring in 2002, I installed the plumbing and electrical systems, as well as several bathrooms and a kitchen in the house my daughter and her husband were building. By 2008, I was very interested in actually installing a PV system at my own house. My son-in-law, who is a mechanical engineer, convinced me to install geothermal first. That made sense, because my central air conditioning was getting old and would soon need to be replaced. He found us a company that would drill the wells, install the plastic pipes in the ground, and fill the wells around the pipes with sand and bituminous clay. He told me, “You figure out the rest!” I considered hiring a contractor, but they were pricey. I calculated the heating and cooling loads. I chose a water-source heat pump, which is very efficient because the temperature of groundwater is relatively constant, and water is a much better conductor of heat than air is. I selected a Water Furnace Envision 049, which helps to heat our domestic hot water when it is running. It has a dual-capacity compressor (to accommodate the heating and cooling functions) and a backup resistance heater capable of 32,700 BTU/hr. That backup heater has only turned on once—when I tested it! The temperature in our house is perfect and you cannot hear or feel that the system is running.

A collaboration between SUSTAINABLE HUDSON VALLEY and upstate HOUSE | WINTER 2020/21 •

WARMER. COOLER. HEALTHIER. CLEANER. ...............................

Heat pumps are a better way to heat and cool your home. nyserda.ny.gov/pumped 48

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The system required two wells, each 300 feet deep, spaced 20 feet apart. The piping was connected in parallel to reduce the resistance to the water flow. This allows the use of a smaller circulating pump. I used a 15-percent ethanol solution to protect from freezing. The duct work in our house did not need to be increased in size, because we already had a central air conditioning system. I was fortunate to have started with geothermal, because the price of solar panels dropped dramatically between 2008 and 2012, when I actually installed the PV system. That solar system supplies enough electricity to run everything in the house, which includes the geothermal system, and also charges our electric vehicle, a Tesla 3. I estimate that switching from an oil-fired furnace to a geothermal system cut my heating costs in half and lowered my air conditioning cost considerably. Also, I knew I could “make” my own electricity but I could not “make” my own oil. In my opinion, building codes should be modified to encourage PV and heat pumps in all new construction. Owners of older homes should consider geothermal when their old air conditioning or heating systems need replacement. Our geothermal system has been installed for 12 years and has been maintenance free except for changing air filters. Three of my neighbors have now installed geothermal systems and they all love them. During a recent heat wave, I commented to one of my neighbors, “The best thing I ever did was install the PV system.” He quickly corrected me: “No, the best thing you ever did was to install geothermal!” Top: Dederick’s geothermal system, which he estimates cut his heating costs in half after he switched from an oil-fired furnace. Bottom: Evacuated tube collectors convert sunlight into photovoltaic energy.

Wayne Dederick is a retired chemistry teacher with three daughters and six grandchildren, hence his care about the future of our planet.

A collaboration between SUSTAINABLE HUDSON VALLEY and upstate HOUSE | WINTER 2020/21 •

WARM FEELING WHAT KIND OF HEAT PUMP MAKES SENSE FOR ME? BY MICHAELA CIOVACCO

heat pump uses electricity to run the same kind of refrigeration cycle that a refrigerator or air conditioner uses—except that a heat pump can transfer heat into or out of an entire building, making it possible to heat, cool, and dehumidify your space. Because they are electric, heat pumps provide more efficient heating and cooling than burning fossil fuels, making them good for the planet as well as for your building’s comfort. There are two main types of heat pumps: ones that source their energy from the air, air source heat pumps (ASHPs); and ones that source their energy from the ground, ground source heat pumps (GSHPs). For example, in the winter, cold-climate ASHPs placed outside of the building will absorb heat from the air (yes, even though it feels cold to us there is still heat to absorb, down to about -15 degrees Fahrenheit). They transfer that heat (amplified by a compressor) to be distributed inside the building, either by another AC-looking unit (called a ductless mini split head), or central ductwork system. Also known as geothermal, GSHPs are installed inside the building and concentrate the heat transferred from water circulating pipes in the ground. Most commonly, GSHPs distribute conditioned air via a central ductwork system but there are models that can produce hot and cold water too. The water-based GSHP systems don’t make very hot water but can be effective in radiant floors or when sent to a ductless hydronic fan coil, which is like a mini-split head but receives water rather than refrigerant.

Which one makes sense for you?

Generally speaking, the ideal candidates for a GSHP system have at least one of the following: •

Expensive heating costs from heating oil and/or propane, electric baseboard—

basically anything other than natural gas, since natural gas heating costs are subsidized by utility ratepayers and it makes less financial sense to switch to any electric heat pump system. •

The owners have and/or want central air.

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The building is under renovation or is new construction.

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The owners want to be carbon net zero.

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The owners don’t want to hear or see any outdoor equipment.

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There’s a larger budget for installation (although financing is available, retrofit systems—not new construction—average around $30,000 after utility and state incentives).

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Ideal candidates for ductless ASHP systems have at least one of the following:

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The owners want to supplement an existing heating system to reduce energy consumption, fossil fuel use and/or heating costs.

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The building has an open layout (few walls) and/or the owners do not mind that heating and cooling from the mini split head only spreads to one space (similar to a traditional window air conditioner).

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There is a lower budget for installation.

Here are some additional questions to keep in mind:

compare favorably. If you’re replacing a natural gas system, the savings will take longer to capture but will still be there. GSHP have the capability to deliver heating and cooling throughout the building whereas ASHP systems generally only provide heating and cooling to designated open areas. How recently constructed, and how well insulated is the building? Heat pumps are sized depending on how much energy is required to heat and cool a building. A building without insulation needs much more energy to control the temperature, so insulation first is worth the investment. Your heat pump installer should be able to guide you to an energy efficiency provider. What is your motivation for adopting heat pumps? Going totally net zero or simply reducing your carbon footprint? Going net zero? Geothermal has the advantage of using less electricity to power. Air source systems are great to offset the majority of your heating costs and fossil fuel use in the winter, and serve as your air conditioning unit during the summer. What is your budget? Geothermal systems are more expensive than air source systems. That’s mainly because they cover the whole building and become a part of the structure itself, whereas ASHP systems involve a smaller, simpler installation. GSHPs are about $30,000, post-incentives. ASHPs minisplit systems typically cost around $4,000 per unit, and an average house may use two to four distribution units.

What is your current heating method? And what kind of coverage do you want? In pure financial terms, anyone with a heating system other than natural gas is a good candidate for a heat pump, since the savings over time will

Michaela Ciavocco is program coordinator for New Yorkers for Clean Power. She can be reached at nyforcleanpower@gmail. com for more information and recommendations.

HEAT PUMP INCENTIVES Description

Central Hudson

Con Edison

National Grid

NYSEG/RGE

Orange & Rockland

Cold Climate ASHP: Partial Load Heating

$800 per outdoor condenser unit

$500 per outdoor condenser unit

Cold Climate ASHP: Full Load Heating

$1600 per 10,000 Btu/h of maximum heating capacity at NEEP 5 degrees F

$2000 per 10,000 Btu/h of maximum heating capacity at NEEP 5 degrees F

$1000 per 10,000 Btu/h of maximum heating capacity at NEEP 5 degrees F

$1600 per 10,000 Btu/h of maximum heating capacity at NEEP 5 degrees F

GSHP

$2000 per 10,000 Btu/h of maximum heating capacity a certified by AHRI

$2850 per 10,000 Btu/h of maximum heating capacity a certified by AHRI

$1500 per 10,000 Btu/h of maximum heating capacity a certified by AHRI

$2000 per 10,000 Btu/h of maximum heating capacity a certified by AHRI

Custom

$80 per MMBTU of annual energy savings

$150 per MMBTU of annual energy savings

$80 per MMBTU of annual energy savings

This table shows the current incentives offered for air-sourced heat pump (ASHP) and ground-sourced heat pump (GSHP) by each utility in New York. Contact your regional installer or reach out to NYCP at info@nyforcleanpower.org for more information.

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WATERFURNACE GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMPS QUALIFY FOR A 26% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT1 AND LOCAL INCENTIVES

WaterFurnace geothermal heat pumps provide the reliable and renewable comfort you need and offer the cost savings you want. With over 16,000 units installed in New York, WaterFurnace geothermal units are the greenest, most efficient, and most cost-effective method to keep your home comfortable throughout the year. Plus, current incentives can help reduce the initial cost of switching to geothermal by up to 40%! Now is the perfect time to switch to a WaterFurnace geothermal unit so you can maximize currently available incentives and keep your home a consistent temperature while continuing to save money all year long. Visit waterfurnace.com/newyork to learn more about switching to geo, and to get your free custom savings estimate.

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1. 26% through 2020 and 22% through 2021 WaterFurnace is a registered trademark of WaterFurnace International, Inc. ©2020 WaterFurnace International, Inc. A collaboration A collaboration between SUSTAINABLE between SUSTAINABLE HUDSON VALLEY HUDSON and upstate VALLEY HOUSE and upstate | WINTER HOUSE 2020/21 | 2020 •

ENERGY NAVIGATION

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ith all the options available in today’s market for heating, cooling, home energy efficiency, smart energy gadgets, battery storage, solar generation, community solar, and more, you might be asking yourself, “Where do I start?” Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) is here for you. Energy advisors with CCE Dutchess and Sullivan Counties are available to assist renters, homeowners, small businesses, and nonprofits throughout the MidHudson region with energy improvements—especially anyone facing financial hardship or with limited income. Bob and Michelle of Clinton Corners had known for some time that their aging heating and cooling system was in need of replacement. Though their insulation was good, it felt like any year could be the one where the heating system finally gives up. On a fixed budget, the prospect of being able to make the most efficient and sustainable choice felt out of reach. Before meeting an energy advisor at a regular volunteer gathering, Bob and Michelle were unaware of the energy efficiency programs available. Over meetings, phone calls, and emails, they worked with their energy advisor to understand their estimates, prepare their application for financial assistance, and arrive at an affordable package which included a cold climate heat pump for their first and second floors, a 50-gallon hybrid water heater, and piping insulation to keep the whole system operating efficiently. Once they learned that they could receive guidance throughout the entire process, the entire project felt less overwhelming and finally achievable. They commented, “For some people, talking to contractors is like speaking in a foreign language. We were thrilled to death to find out that there were energy advisors to keep us organized and inform us of funds available for people like us—funds that people don’t often know about.” Our resources continue to grow with the expansion of the Energy Navigator program. Local, knowledgeable volunteers are learning a wide array of energy topics and how to use a neighbor-to-neighbor approach to help people in their communities understand and lower their energy use and switch from fossil fuels to renewables. With all the incentive programs and supports available in New York State, now is a great time to take a fresh look at your home energy use. Connect with your local energy advisor at Midhudsonenergychoices. org and learn about cost-saving programs. For more information on volunteering as an Energy Navigator, contact Hazel Robin at dr598@cornell.edu. Collin D. Adkins is the environment and energy resource educator and energy advisor with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Dutchess County.

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DISRUPT!

Grassroots Innovation for a Renewable Future FRIDAY, JANUARY 29 Moderated by Brian K. Mahoney; with Melissa Everett, Executive Director, Sustainable Hudson Valley; and special guests from the worlds of industry and policy innovation.

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EVolution

THE RISE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES BY SETH LEITMAN

lectric vehicles are mainstreaming fast. All those chargers appearing on the highways, and the EV ads broadcast during major sports events—they are a sign of a transformative change in technology in the works. There are over 40 makes and models in the US marketplace now—but more importantly, automakers are shifting their R & D and engineering investments, their supply chain efforts, and strategic alliances, toward EVs.

What’s new with EV technology? There is more standardization of basic EV design by companies seeking an advantage in creating diverse models within a single make. Underneath some of this is a flexible platform known as a skateboard. Rivian, a Massachusetts startup, won $500 million in investment from Ford to use this platform in multiple Ford EVs.

What’s new in the marketplace? Everything is evolving fast. We’re seeing lots of changes in car companies’ strategies. In sales, Tesla Model 3 is still the go-to. Behind that is the Chevy Bolt—one of the most reliable EVs I’ve test driven. There are more plug-in hybrids and smaller-range electric vehicles than ever; in the 150- to 200-mile range. Whatever kind of car you are in the habit of driving and like, there is an electric version or soon will be. Electric cars come with all the bells and whistles you have to pay extra for in a gas car—the sensors, the safety features, so you get more for your dollar. Worldwide, the market grew 40 percent from 2018 to 2019; although EVs were back then only one percent of the global fleet, that kind of growth won’t take long to be visible around us.

“I love the Kona because of its great range. It’s super smooth and very intuitive. And it has no grille—how awesome cool is that?” —Dana Levenberg, Ossining Town Supervisor

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A big trend is electric trucks and SUVs like Rivian; Bollinger, which almost looks like a 1950s Range Rover; the Ford Mustang Mach E; the VW ID4; the Nissan Ariya. As Elon Musk has said, we have to make the best vehicle to meet the needs that drivers see, ergo the Tesla cybertruck which has more than 600,000 deposits before it has hit the market. These are more cost competitive across their life cycles—especially with Tesla and VW offering dedicated charger networks for their vehicles.

Who’s driving EVs now? It’s the most diverse array of people I’ve seen, from stay-at-home moms to police. I know a guy who works at Sing-Sing who bought a Model S, had an accident, walked out of it and had the car refurbished because it was so safe. People also buy them for speed, and they are showing up more and more in the racing world. I know a guy who bought a Tesla Model X for $80,000 and bragged that he could blow past a $250,000 Porsche. On the other end of the spectrum, people are buying the EVs like the Hyundai Kona because they are so affordable to own and operate.

How do you shop for a car and a dealership? Picking the car: That’s for you to decide. What features and capabilities do you want? Pretty much every size and style and set of features is available as a plug-in hybrid or EV. Check out Driveelectricus.com, a website created by a consortium of automakers and Northeastern states, for an in-depth, unbiased look at the vehicles. Shopping for a dealer is the trickier part. Check websites. Are there EVs onsite? Visit. Is there a car there charged and ready to test drive? Is there a knowledgeable person who can describe not just the features but the benefits, the financial case, the technology—who can talk to you as an informed enthusiast? Dealers can help you get all possible discounts and rebates, and steer you to the car that fits your lifestyle. So work with them, and educate them too.

Seth Leitman, aka the Green Living Guy, directs EV programming for Sustainable Westchester and Sustainble Hudson Valley. Email him at greenlivingguy@gmail.com or visit Sustainhv.org to get more info on electric cars.

WHAT’S COMPLICATED ABOUT CHARGING YOUR ELECTRIC CAR? BY STEVE WEHR

or most people, the answer to this question is: “Nothing, really.” Charging your electric car is easier and much less costly than going to the gas station. It’s just that it’s so different from what we have always done. There is new terminology to learn, new habits to form, and maybe new equipment to buy. Feeling comfortable that you can easily and conveniently charge your electric car is one of the keys to feeling comfortable enough to purchase an electric car. You will mostly charge at home, but may also charge at certain destinations, or while travelling. Home charging can take 8 to 40 hours to get a full charge from near empty, depending on the equipment in your home. Destination charging can take several hours for a full charge, while travel chargers can charge your car in less than an hour, often less than 30 minutes.

Home Charging For most Electric Vehicle (EV) owners, charging at home is how you will charge 90 to 95 percent of the time. When you get home at the end of the day, you can plug in your car and you will have a full “tank” the next morning. You have several options for how to plug in at home: • 120V outlet. Almost all EVs include a “Level 1” charger that can be used in a 120V outlet. You can expect to get about 40-60 miles of range charging for 12 hours. •

240V outlet. You can have an electrician install one of these in your garage or parking space for about $250. Your car’s included charger may include a plug to use this type of outlet, or you may be able to buy one from your dealer. You can expect to get about 80 to 140 miles of range charging for 12 hours.

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Dedicated EV charger. Many companies sell home chargers that are wired directly into your service panel. These will add 20 to 40 miles of range per hour. You will pay about $500 for the charger hardware, and $500 to install it. You can lower this cost by taking advantage of incentives from the federal and state governments, or from your utility.

from these chargers, or if you have a Tesla you can use an inexpensive adapter. Expect to set up an account with each company in order to use these chargers. ChargePoint is by far the largest provider of these chargers, with hundreds of them in the Hudson Valley alone. Many of these are provided by municipalities for free.

Travel Charging All of these charging stations will charge you for a rapid charge. You will need to setup an account ahead of time to use most of these chargers, but some do offer credit card payment options, so no account needed. For Tesla cars, you can take advantage of the Tesla Supercharger network, with over 1,000 charging stations in the US. Cost is typically about $13 for a full charge. Tesla cars use their own proprietary charging socket, but can also use all the networks below with a $500 adapter. For all other cars, they typically use the “CCS Combo” socket in order to use travel chargers, or if you have a Nissan Leaf, then you will use a socket named CHAdeMO. You have your choice of many charging networks that have both plugs. Prices can vary widely by network and location. As of September of this year, you can use networks such as Electrify America, EVgo, Chargepoint, and Greenlots; New York State is installing fast chargers on major state highways. In the Hudson Valley region, these chargers cost about $14 to $20 for a full charge. To find a charger, use the PlugShare app to list chargers from all companies. Also, your car’s GPS may tell you if you need a charge before you arrive at your final destination, and route you to a compatible charger.

Bye-Bye Gas Stations The charging infrastructure is growing rapidly throughout the country, and especially in New York State and the Hudson Valley. Talk to owners, ask them about their experiences. You’ll find that charging really is much less complicated than you may think. New habits are pretty easy to form. And you really won’t miss gas stations.

Destination Charging As the name implies, this type of charging is used when you are stopping at a “destination” for an hour or more—a hotel, restaurant, or shopping mall. These are “Level 2” chargers that will add 20 to 40 miles of range per hour. All electric cars have sockets that accept the plugs

Steve Wehr is a retired engineer and EV enthusiast.

A collaboration between SUSTAINABLE HUDSON VALLEY and upstate HOUSE | WINTER 2020/21 •

WHO’S IN THE GREEN WORK FORCE? Working Toward a Bright Future for the Hudson Valley BY CHRISTOPHER MARX

ell over a decade ago, SUNY Ulster began to build training programs for installers of solar, geothermal, and wind technologies as well as green building methods. We saw exciting new career pathways for our students. However, when we rolled out these programs, there were very few traditional college students. Instead, they were seasoned building and trades professionals including contractors and electricians, architects and engineers, and even real estate agents. They weren’t taking the classes to get a green job, they were evolving existing jobs to make them greener and building the movement. At the same time, industry organizations were just starting to develop standards of best practice for clean energy system installation and energy efficient building. The SUNY Community Colleges have been working with professional instructors and with national industry groups to create curriculum that meets these standards. Training programs fall into three categories: green building design, green building construction, and green building maintenance. Today, we have courses and programs addressing the three main categories

of green building careers—design, construction, and maintenance—SUNY Ulster focuses primarily on construction and maintenance. This includes the installation of clean energy systems, like photovoltaic panels, geothermal systems, and energy efficient building practices. Students can earn multiple certifications from industry groups such as the Building Performance Institute and the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners—credentials that are recognized nationally and in some foreign countries. Programs in this area include Energy Auditor, Heating and Heat Pump Professionals, and Building Automation. These certifications prepare the green building professional to assess the energy system upgrades and renovations for older buildings—useful, since the Hudson Valley has some of the oldest housing stock in the country. Many of the courses offered at SUNY Ulster offer credits toward an Associate Degree in Green Building. Our students are trained in a stateof-the-art building science lab and test house, the Kelder Center, where they can work on the integrated solar photovoltaic and solar thermal panels, perform field tests on heating and cooling systems, and study the effects of various insulation

materials. Instructors can even open leaks in the structure for students to find as part of their energy auditor exam. These days, the young people are on board, too. Last year, the Ulster County Executive and the Ulster Career Center partnered with SUNY Ulster to create the Green Careers Academy, a career pathway training program that starts with basic courses to prepare students for technical training. Grants and donations even provide scholarships. Local companies—especially those with employees who have taken our classes—have accepted interns and hired students. In a new program with Citizens for Local Power, Kingston apprentices actually start with a paid work experience to gain hands-on knowledge before they ever take a class. The science of green building continues to evolve with new methods and materials and higher standards. It is an exciting time to be a practitioner. Christopher Marx is associate vice president for Workforce, Economic Development, and Community Partnerships at SUNY Ulster.

Learning to Succeed in an Evolving Field BY JUDITH KARPOVA

moved to the Hudson Valley in 2001, about a month before the attacks on the World Trade Center. I was concerned about the invasion of Iraq as a resource war and vowed to do my part to overcome the need for oil. I started thinking about energy in the home I had bought. It became my guinea pig. In 2004, I installed solar. In 2005, I added geothermal. I took the Building Performance Institute’s Building Analyst and Building Envelope courses in 2006. Then I studied to become a certified geothermal installer. With this combination of experience, I was hired by the person who installed my geothermal system to do site visits and energy efficiency audits. I was laid off in 2010 after the economy collapsed. I took the time to get involved in citizen activism. I also got active in the US Green Building Council. I discovered the Ulster County Office of Employment and Training and the Ulster County Career Center. Through their funding, I took the Sustainable Building Advisor training for another certification through the US Green Building Council. I got the opportunity to work for a startup, Higher Value Insulation, for over a year. Ironically, the business was so successful that the founder closed it down and jumped into his next passion, building new passive houses. I went on to work for Global Dwelling for a few years, then moved to Northern Windows doing energy audits. I joined Energy Conservation

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Specialists in 2018, working until they closed during the COVID crisis. Five years had passed, making me eligible for another funded course through the county. Last year, I took a four-month course on air conditioning and refrigeration at BOCES. So here I am, stuffed to the gills with certifications and looking forward to what’s next. I’ve learned that you have to really like your career; not just think you should do it. I found this calling late in life. It’s mentally and physically arduous. But it’s the work that energizes me. I love the inner Sherlock that comes out when I walk into someone’s home to figure out where their energy is being wasted, where their money is going. You have to keep yourself educated and current, take classes, go to conferences, keep your antennae out. Even though I’ve been laid off a number of times, work keeps coming in because of my credibility. Right now, the home energy efficiency field is under stress. How it unfolds will depend on how the word spreads about these services to people who need them. In sticking with this, I’ve gotten a solid grasp on my profession and earned respect. That’s what brings the real rewards. Judith Karpova is a certified home energy efficiency auditor, sustainable building advisor, and clean energy advocate.

Diversity in the Clean Energy Workforce If we’re going to build back better for all, we have to pay attention to equal access to training, employment and advancement. According to industry sources, in 2019, the solar work force was composed of 7.6 percent African Americans, 17 percent Latinos and 26.3 percent women; only 21 percent of the wind industry’s work force is women. Diversity is even more limited at top levels, with men holding 88 percent of solar industry leadership jobs and 80% of senior employees being white. The better news is that the number of companies with a racial diversity plan in place has risen from 7 percent in 2017 to 22 percent today.

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HIGHWOODS SPIRIT This Saugerties House Takes Thoughtful Design and Craft to New Heights

n 2017, Ken and Kristin Wenger moved upstate to Bearsville from New Jersey. Ken, a retired financial executive and Kristin, the retired director of an arts education nonprofit, had so much fun designing and building their own house that they founded KCK Bearsville Holding Company, located a second piece of land, and launched into a second career as developers. The second property, which Ken discovered through a chance conversation at dinner in Woodstock, was a secluded, sloping 7.3-acre parcel in Saugerties with incredible views of Overlook Mountain. To design the house, the Wengers turned to the architect who had helped them bring their first to fruition—Constantine Kalesis of New York City-based Kalesis Design Studio. Kalesis, who has 18 years of experience as an architect and four as the principal of his own firm, began working in the Woodstock area in 2012. In contrast to his projects in the city, which almost always have a predetermined footprint, the Hudson Valley has offered him room to explore his practice as an architect. “It’s a very challenging design exercise to be given carte blanche on a raw site,” he says. “I take cues from the surroundings when developing a floor plan. Where the sun rises and sets, the vistas, and any variations in topography.”

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Laying the Groundwork Without an existing buyer in mind, Kalesis’ challenge was to create a house that anyone could see themselves living in. His solution was to design it as two distinct structures. His sketches articulated a sleeping wing separated from the entertaining wing by the liminal zone of the entryway between. To further divide the space, a set of doors closes off the sleeping wing from the entryway and another closes off the entertaining wing from a guest/office suite within. This would allow the floorplan to ebb and flow according to the future owners’ needs. The resulting 2,500-square-foot layout “feels at some points monumental, but also intimate,” Kalesis says. The design’s other orienting factor was the eastern face of Overlook Mountain, which rises majestically above the treeline to the west. To take advantage of the views, Kalesis designed the house on a northsouth axis and gave every major room its own mountain vista and access to the back deck that runs its length. “The house is designed as a lens, framing the way you perceive the site,” he says. To bring the design to life, he and the Wengers teamed up with Mike Fanelli of Glasco-based 3rd Generation Builders. Fanelli, who comes from a long

Above: Architect Constantine Kalesis designed the Zena Highwoods House as a lens that frames the way you perceive the site. The home’s transparent entryway, outfitted in locally sourced walnut, pine, and bluestone, provides a curated view of Overlook Mountain behind a 20,000-pound bluestone boulder found at the site. Opposite: The view of the entryway from the back deck reveals the custom-fabricated metal spout that cascades rainwater onto the boulder and river rocks below. All photos by Nils Schlebusch 360° except where otherwsie noted.

line of builders (hence the third generation), got his start in the late `90s just as the post-9/11 housing market took off upstate. Today, 3rd Generation works throughout the Hudson Valley and Fanelli’s team does all their own general contracting, which gives them full control over the building process from start to finish. A Completed Vision Completed in August of this year, the Zena Highwoods House is a reflection of Kalesis’ sitespecific design, Fanelli’s team’s craftsmanship, and the Wengers’ eye for details. As you approach the house from the secluded driveway, a dense stand of pine trees gives way to a clearing that provides a panoramic view of the minimalist home against its mountain backdrop. The house is clad in pine siding in a mottled blue-gray stain that echoes the trees that surround it. An angled metal roof (green to match the foliage) covers three distinct parts of the house: the entertaining wing, sleeping wing, and the attached one-car garage. The entryway and threshold to the garage have flat charcoal-hued roofs made from durable EPDM rubber, which reveal Kalesis’

compartmentalized architectural program. The transparent entryway is the first of the architect’s lenses that you encounter. The front door is a weighty five-foot-wide glass pivot door trimmed in walnut and bordered by 24-inch glass sidelights. From here, you can see through the floor-to-ceiling, walnut-trimmed picture window on the other side, which frames a 20,000-pound bluestone boulder found near the top of the driveway that now sits outside the window surrounded by a pool of river rocks. Kalesis also designed the house’s gutters to move rainwater to the entryway roof, where it flows through a custom-fabricated metal spout and cascades water onto the boulder and rocks below. From inside the entryway, tiled in radiant-heated bluestone from Peter Shultis Stoneyard in Willow, the peak of Overlook Mountain is framed behind the boulder—a studied diorama of the Catskills. To the right of the entryway is the entertaining wing of the house, which contains a shared kitchen, dining, and living space, a butler’s pantry, the guest suite/office space, and a screened-in porch. The ceiling throughout is pine, which Fanelli sourced from Ghent Wood Products in Columbia

County. The exposed four-by-twelve-foot rafters were milled by Rothe Lumber in Saugerties from white pine trees cleared for the home’s construction (a sustainable touch the Wengers had added to their own home). The lumber was dried by Fanelli’s team for nine months at the site. The floor is maple from Ghent, stained in Fruitwood and sealed with a matte polyurethane. The kitchen space is sleek and sophisticated, with an eight-by-seven-foot picture window above the farmhouse sink and quartzite counter that bathes the space in light. In the middle of the room, seven-foot-wide French doors that open to the deck and accompanying three-and-a-half-foot-wide sidelights from Marvin provide expansive views. On the far end of the room, a six-by-eight-foot picture window lights the hearth space. The ornate mantle above the steel fireplace surround is an antique mortise and tenon beam from Java, which the Wengers found at Asia Barong in Great Barrington. Just off the shared kitchen, dining, and living space is a hallway that leads to the guest/office suite, closed off from the rest of the wing by a pair of antique paneled rosewood French doors upstate HOUSE

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from China. On the left is a 14-by-11-foot room that can function as a guest bedroom, office, or den. A full bathroom across the hall features a custom-altered engraved wood vanity from Anthropologie and gray ceramic tile from Nemo in New York City chosen by the Wengers. For the shower, Fanelli’s team hand-cut and placed the tile in an angled geometric pattern to create a drain (a feature of all three full bathrooms in the house). At the end of the hall is both a separate entrance to the front of the house and access to the attached garage. The space is also one of the house’s four temperature zones for the ducted air-source heat pump system, which makes it easy for the space to function separately from the rest of the home if needed. Back in the shared kitchen, dining, and living space, doors on either side of the hearth access the screenedin porch on the north end of the house. The porch’s eight-by-eight-inch solid supporting columns are also made from the pine milled from the site. The floors, which continue out to the deck, are Brazlian ipe, also sourced from Ghent. According to Fanelli, ipe is prized for its incredible density, which naturally protects the wood from mold. Because of this, the team chose to keep the wood unsealed, to let its almost-gray patina develop. On the other side of the house is the sleeping wing, entered through rosewood doors that match those to the guest/office suite. To the left are two closets: one for the utilities and the other for the laundry, which has its own passthrough to the master bedroom’s walk-in closet on the other side. To create light throughout the hallway, Kalesis designed the space between the two closets as an alcove with a five-and-a-half-foot by seven-and-a-half-foot window, which looks out to the front of the house. The window’s one-of-a-kind exterior head and sill are made of angled slabs of bluestone. Across the hall are two symmetrical 12-by-14-foot guest bedrooms with six-foot-wide picture windows that look out to the mountain and have separate doors to the deck. The two rooms share a full bathroom, tiled above the sink and inside the shower with a high-gloss celadon-hued ceramic tile from Nemo. The double sinks are inset into a Carrara marble-topped vanity from Pottery Barn that exposes the plumbing. At the end of the hall is the 18-by-14-foot master bedroom, which also has a six-foot-wide picture window and a private door to the deck. Across from the bedroom is the master bathroom with a glass-doored 10-by-11-foot shower room. The room is tiled in a heathered gray ceramic tile from Daltile, chosen by the Wengers for its resemblance to birch bark. Above the marble vanity, another six-foot-wide window provides quiet views into the woods to the south.

From top: The window to the left of the entry has an exterior head and sill made of angled slabs of bluestone. A drawing of the house’s layout.

The guest bathroom in the entertaining wing. Opposite, from top: The shared kitchen, dining, and living space leads to the screened-in porch. Photo by Constantine Kalesis. The master bathroom faces south.

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A Collaborative Effort The elegant, meticulously detailed house is a close-knit collaboration between the distinct voices that shaped it. “We ended up being a very good team,” Kalesis says. At every turn, he, Fanelli, and the Wengers worked together to anticipate the needs of the future owners who would call it home and wove them together into a space that feels beautiful, functional, and livable all at the same time. “You look at the Ashokan Reservoir, and it looks different depending on what time of day you see it,” says Fanelli. “I feel that way with this house. It’s different every time I look at it, and that wasn’t a mistake. That was all of this work coming together.”

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Hudson Valley Properties Millbrook Real Estate Serving All Counties in the Mid-Hudson Valley

$5,575,000 | T/Washington | Pondview Farm This is one of those special properties that you just need to experience. Boasting 7 ponds/lakes with amazing views in the heart of Millbrook. Surrounded by over 1,000 additional protected acres; this is turn-key in its current configuration, or expand the improvements by building a principal residence overlooking one of the most gorgeous ponds. This is a property that has to be seen rather than described. MLS#371638. George Langa | m: 845.242.6314 | o: 845.677.3525

$3,000,000 | Standfordville | Round Hill Farm Lovely farmhouse with contemporary flair, privately situated on 62 acres of quality farmland with views to the Catskill Mountains. The 5,800 sq.ft. main house features a grand sitting room with 20 ft. high fireplace made from fieldstone from the property. Master suite with windows on 3 sides, and French doors to bluestone patio. Carriage house has heated space with 4 bays and a second floor gallery. Small pond, rambling path through the grounds and barn. George Langa | m: 845.242.6314 | o: 845.677.3525

$2,995,000 | North East | Pleasant View Farm One of the most iconic farms of Dutchess County. Beautiful setting on 260 acres with 360° views. Create your own estate or continue the farming tradition. Main house and farm buildings set back from quiet road. Large pond, mostly gently sloping land, magnificent mountain views; land protected by conservation easements. 10 minutes from Mashomack. MLS#375610. George Langa | m: 845.242.6314 | o: 845.677.3525

$1,900,000 | Union Vale | Country Lifestyle on Killearn Road Built in 1988 and completely remodeled and expanded in 2005. Admire the eat-in kitchen, used by TV master chefs. Open to the kitchen is family room with French doors out to another terrace with porch and attached BBQ area. Principle en suite offers a sumptuous bathroom. There are 3 additional bedrooms and 2 large baths. Large second floor play area/office. Plenty of outdoor entertainment space on 40 acres! MLS#389882. George Langa | m: 845.242.6314 | o: 845.677.3525

$1,595,000 | Wassaic | Lovely Farmhouse Built in 1900 with many updates and a new wing added in last 8 years. Just off of Tower Hill Road, this 5-bedroom, 4-bath house provides an abundance of privacy. Breezeway French doors open to gardens, gunite pool, soccer field, basketball court, beautiful views, paths and seasonal stream. Minutes to the Village of Millbrook, Millerton and Sharon. MLS#382185. George Langa | m: 845.242.6314 | o: 845.677.3525

$1,295,000 | Clinton Corners | Country Living Lovely 1700s farmhouse surrounded by horse barn, paddocks and pond. Rolling meadows and woodlands across 60 plus acres offer endless hacking on horseback, hiking and many other outdoor sports the heart may desire. First floor owner’s suite with fireplace, beamed ceilings, country kitchen and much more to enjoy! Close proximity to Rhinebeck, Millbrook and local polo grounds, and about 90 minutes to NYC. MLS#390191. George Langa | m: 845.242.6314 | o: 845.677.3525

From $750,000 | City of Beacon | River Ridge 50% SOLD OUT! Modern new luxury townhome community of 18 single-family attached homes with stunning views of the Hudson River. Experience the buzz of downtown with close proximity to Main Street. Open floor plans, natural stone, hardwoods, more. Only 1/4-mile to Beacon’s Metro-North train station. Visit www.riverridgeatbeacon.com for more details. MLS#389579. Michele Rios | m: 845.242.5762 | o: 845.244.2164

$639,900 | T/Poughkeepsie | Hamlet of New Hamburg Stunning 4-bedroom, 3-bath Victorian home is a stone’s throw from the Hudson River in the charming Hamlet of New Hamburg. This grand home is known as the Captain Drake home, adding to the history of this property. Many original details with modern conveniences. Just 90 minutes from New York City, this home is not to be overlooked. MLS#396049. Angela Ingham | m: 845.416.3845 | o: 845.244.2107

$595,000 | LaGrange | Country Retreat on 10 Acres Spectacular 3-bedroom + guest suite colonial. Open floor plan, great room with stone fireplace, gourmet kitchen with Corian counters, center island and s/s appliances. Master suite with walk-in closet and spa-like bath. 2 add’l bedrooms, hardwood, 9' and trey ceilings, front and rear staircases. Wraparound porch, Trex deck, heated 2-car garage. Minutes to TSP, Route 55 and 9. MLS#394949. Kathleen "Kathie" DeYoung | m: 914.489.9199 | o: 845.223.0617

BHHSHUDSONVALLEY.COM | BHHSMILLBROOKREALESTATE.COM 62

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$4,500,000 | Gardiner | Own a Piece of the Mountain Mountainside retreat on 19.3 acres with priceless views of the Shawangunk Ridge. It’s magical! The seemingly impossible dream is realized in this custom contemporary Arts & Crafts 3500 sq.ft. estate perched at the Gateway to the Shawangunks, a perfect vantage point for panoramic views and access to the world renowned Trapps climbing cliffs and 7000 acres of Mohonk Preserve with miles of historic carriage roads and trails. MLS#20204118. Terry Jacobus | m: 845.389.0745 | o: 845.255.9400

$2,690,000 | Clinton Corners | Custom Modern Farmhouse on 21 Acres Built in 2018 with meandering half-mile paved driveway for peace and privacy. Chef’s kitchen with quartz island; hardwoods and high ceilings throughout. Covered bluestone porches on 3 sides of home; rear porch with infrared heaters, retractable screens and grill island. Heated salt water gunite pool with bluestone patio surround. 12 minutes to V/Rhinebeck. Economical geothermal heating and cooling. MLS#396175. Daniel ‘Dan’ Axtmann | m: 845.702.7060 | o: 845.473.1650

Angela Ingham

$1,700,000 | Gardiner | Gentlemen’s Farm Historic stone cottage on 56 acres built in c.1780, steeped in history with extensive Wallkill River frontage. Pass the fenced pastures - where the homeowners have cared for sheep, goats and horses - large 5-stall barn and artist studio to this park-like scenic property offering open fields with Mohonk Mountain views, forestry, riding trails, hiking areas, streams and Wallkill River fishing for small mouth bass by the cabin. MLS#20204441. Terry Jacobus | m: 845.389.0745 | o: 845.255.9400

$1,595,000 | Woodstock | Pure Enchantment Romantic 9+ acre setting adjacent to 1000s of acres of protected land with stream, terraced gardens and footbridges. The artist-styled main house features double height ceilings in living room, stone fireplace, custom country kitchen, 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths in open floor plan. Plus 2 bedroom guest house and 800 sq.ft. studio. Prime location and breaktaking setting with views. A true work of art! MLS#20204477. Lisa A. Cooper | m: 914.388.0624 | o: 845.679.0006

BHHSHUDSONVALLEY.COM LUXURY COLLECTION SHOWCASE PROPERTY | DISTINGUISHED MANOR-STYLE HOME IN THE HAMLET OF NEW HAMBURG This home, reminiscent of a traditional country English house, is set on nearly 5 acres of bucolic Hudson River front property with a natural spring-fed pond. Hosting 5 bedrooms with 4 full and 2 half baths, this home’s well-designed floor plan allows for each interior living space to flow seamlessly with its exterior vignettes, blending the over 4000 sq.ft. of bluestone patio with the main home showcasing iconic Hudson Valley vistas. Completely renovated to create the feeling of old-world elegance, this home features a multitude of modern amenities, including gourmet chef’s kitchen with handcrafted walnut cabinetry, buried inlays and coffered ceilings, plus a private theater on its own level. Luxuriously built of fine materials like Old Williamsburg brick, tiled roof and custom millwork, every detail is of the highest craftsmanship. Natural stone is used throughout, with travertine flooring and a custom master bath done in Asian statuary marble and mosaics. The prominent turret entrance greets you with floor-to-ceiling windows and a dramatic view of the courtyard and river seen beyond the cathedral-styled foyer. Each room features a pond or river view. Many points of access from the first floor lead to exterior luxuries such as the outdoor dining room, intimate seating areas and pathways to the covered pavilion or lower pool terrace with poolhouse, outdoor shower and half bath. The fire circle, wine nook and finished lower level with 3-car garage area are added surprises. Surrounded by lush landscaping, this estate is nestled in between densely wooded areas and accessible from the gated entry and long winding driveway, just over 90 minutes from NYC and minutes from the New Hamburg train. Your perfect place to escape! $3,499,500. MLS#391228. To view this property, go to my.matterport.com/show/?m=CRTURWmetDo&mls=1

Angela Ingham Real Estate Salesperson M: 845.416.3845 | O: 845.244.2107 892 Main St, Fishkill, NY aingham@bhhshudsonvalley.com

WWW.ANGELAINGHAM.COM upstate HOUSE

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Hudson’s Most Alluring Hudson, NY 3,770 Sqft | 1 Bathroom $1,500,000 Web # 20263475 Nancy Felcetto 917.626.6755 Robin Horowitz 917.543.5665

Modern Elegance Hudson, NY 4 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms $1,150,000 Web # 20078653 Nancy Felcetto 917.626.6755 Robin Horowitz 917.543.5665

Private Country Compound Hannacroix, New York | 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms $1,399,000 | Web # 20340482 Stephan Delventhal 518.660.1306

A Mansion with a View

Colonial Investor’s Delight

Historical Enchantment

New Baltimore, NY | 5 Bedrooms, 5 Bathrooms $1,150,000 | Web # 20222979 Poulsen Shagalov Team 917.302.0956 Stephan Delventhal 518.660.1306

Catskill, New York | 4 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom $1,150,000 | Web # 19998095 Sterling H. Swann 518.660.1310

Taghkanic, NY | 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms $860,000 | Web # 20136644 Nancy Felcetto 917.626.6755 | Robin Horowitz 917.543.5665

Renovated Office Building

200 Acres of Meadows and Fields

Private Contemporary Mountain Escape

Cooperstown, New York | 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms $645,000 | Web # 20445725 Michael Stasi 518.660.1303

Tannersville, NY | 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms $599,000 | Web # 20140635 Stephan Delventhal 518.660.1306

Established and Prime Village Restaurant

Sweeping Hudson River Views

Beautiful Country Home

Kinderhook, NY | 8 Rooms, 2 Bathrooms $550,000 | Web # 20194962 Maret Halinen 518.660.1307

Hudson, New York | 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Bathrooms $439,500 | Web # 20405073 Nancy Felcetto 518.660.1301

Ancramdale, NY | 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom $380,000 | Web # 19839791 Michael Stasi 732.241.1723

Kinderhook, NY | 7,500 Sqft | 20 Rooms $800,000 | Web # 20188563 Maret Halinen 518.660.1307

Halstead Hudson Valley, LLC. All information is from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, change or price, prior sale or withdrawal without notice. Customer should consult with its counsel regarding all closing costs, including transfer taxes. No representation or guaranty is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and other information should be re-confirmed by customer.

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INTRODUCING HUGHENDEN WOODS — A WOODSTOCK ESTATE HALTER ASSOCIATES REALTY: THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN LISTED AND SOLD!

There is only one Woodstock, and there is only one Hughenden Woods. Whatever your needs, this gracious estate is likely to meet or exceed them. Create the ultimate family compound, exclusive corporate getaway or artists retreat. The three stunning homes and a premiere sports complex total 10 bedrooms and 10 baths, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, indoor and outdoor Olympic size swimming pools and a club style bar and lounge—all spread across 23-plus acres comprised of 5 private, wooded parcels with mountain and valley views. This incomparable property has many elegant details at every turn. Offered at $3.999m Contact Peter Cantine for more details at petercantine@gmail.com or (845) 532-7119

44 ACRES WOODSTOCK

$1,795,000

WOODSTOCK

$1,598,000

GLEN SPEY

WOODSTOCK

$1,200,000

OLIVE

$1,349,999

26 ACRES SAUGERTIES

$1,299,000

$699,000

HALTER ASSOCIATES REALTY: THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN LISTED AND SOLD!

WOODSTOCK

WEST HURLEY MARBLETOWN

$559,000

$1,777,000 KERHONKSEN

$425,000 $659,000

$469,000

SAUGERTIES

$1,100,000

KINGSTON

SAUGERTIES

$649,000

GLENFORD

$299,000 KERHONKSEN

$450,000

WOODSTOCK

$1,100,000

KERHONKSEN

$239,900

STONE RIDGE $549,900

$995,000

WOODSTOCK

$499,000

www.halterassociatesrealty.com www.halterassociatesrealty.com Woodstock NY Office Woodstock NY Office 3257 Rt 212, Woodstock, NY 12409 3257 Rt 212, Woodstock, NY 12409 [P] 845 679-2010 [P] 845 679-2010

Kingston NY Office Kingston NY Office 89 N Front St, Kingston, NY 12401 89 N Front St, Kingston, NY 12401 [P] 845 331-3110 [P] 845 331-3110

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LUXURY TUDOR CONTEMPORARY

SPECTACULAR VIEWS

THE TOTALLY PRIVATE 3.1 acre setting is at the end of a

SPECTACULAR VIEWS of the Catskills and Hudson River make this 4 BR, 4.5 bath, 3900 SF Custom Build Luxury Tudor Contemporary so very

built Contemporary has large, stunning, open spaces, vaulted ceilings,

has a walk in pantry, island and breakfast rm. There’s a 33 ft. LR, 26 ft. sunroom, 20 ft. DR, a stone FPL, CA, wood floors, auto generator, and a 60 ft.

dead-end road, and provides total quiet and privacy here. This quality

walls of glass, and 2 floor to ceiling stone FPLs. The central atrium is stunning, and LR, DR, and den are 48 ft. creating the perfect family/

special. Her huge windows, glass doors, and skylights let in amazing light. There are 4 en-suite BRs w/a first floor master. The gigantic chef ’s kitchen Veranda. 3.9 acres provides complete privacy. Just listed. $995,000.

entertaining space. This home has AC, a great K, elaborate MBR suite, 2 offices, + there are 4 outdoor living areas including a large mahogany deck and a screened porch. Just listed. $679,900.

PAUL H A LLENBE CK R E A L E S TAT E , I N C . 6 3 7 0 M I LL S T R E E T • R H I N E B E C K , N EW YO R K • 1 2 5 7 2 P H O N E : 8 4 5 - 8 7 6 - 1 6 6 0 • FAX : 8 4 5 - 8 7 6 - 5 9 5 1

THIS WATERFRONT HOME has frontage on the Sawkill Creek, is minutes from BARD, and close to Red Hook, Rhinebeck, Amtrak, and the

Kingston Bridge. The open floor plan includes the 18 ft. Great Room w/oak floors, a FPL, and French doors out to a 27 ft. deck. There’s a first floor MBR suite, an open K/DR and office down, + 2 sizeable BRs and bath up, one w/a private deck w/overlook of the stream. This home is the perfect retreat or a wonderful full time home for your family. $379,900.

A GREAT COUNTRY HOME, this 4 BR, 2.5 bath, 3134 SF

custom built colonial has it all: a great floor plan, CA, a marvelous K, breakfast and DR, and three living spaces including the LR, FR, and Rec rm. Swimming, boating, and fishing @ deep glacial Browns Pond are included. There’s a marvelous screened porch, deck, and large patio

w/a hot tub. There are walls of glass here, a southern exposure, NO

carpeting, Redwood siding, and a large garage w/a loft. 5 acres ensures complete privacy. WOW! $595,000.

WALKABLE TO RHINEBECK VILLAGE w/it plethora of fabulous restaurants, shopping, renowned library, and Upstate Films, this 3 bedroom

1 story home has a beautiful setting w/shade trees and a great yard, lots of space to garden, entertain, and enjoy the outdoors. Inside there’s a large LR, redone EIK, and an adjacent 19 ft. screened porch. The lower level is walk out w/a semi-finished FR w/a woodstove. This home has village water, modern mechanicals, and a detached 2 car garage/studio. $295,000.

TOTALLY RENOVATED and completely move in ready, this 5, yes 5 BR, 2.5 bath Red Hook colonial has wonderful spaces that adapt to many

lifestyles. Kitchen and baths are state of the art, there are polished oak floors up down, there’s CA, a DR and FR and a Sunroom w/skylights. There’s a new burner, new stainless appliances, a nice deck, shade trees, lawns front and back and a fabulous location in Red Hook not far from the recreation park w/its pool, tennis, ball fields and playground. $489,900

w w w. h a l l e n b e c k r e a l e s t a t e . c o m • i n f o @ h a l l e n b e c k r e a l e s t a t e . c o m

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WHERE EXPERIENCE AND HARD WORK MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

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Jacob Dunham House $834,000

Majestic hilltop setting & Catskill Mtn. views. Elegant privacy landscaping reminiscent of English gardens. Original 1790 house with 1895 Greek Revival-style addition. Restored 3 BR/3 BA, 4 FPs in Catskill. Original details, light, airy rooms. Wide formal entrance, bright chef’s kitchen with 1790 FP & large pantry, formal living & dining rooms.

❚ Pamela Belfor 917.734.7142

Linden Farm Italianate

$899,000

Eccentric Informal Rural Italianate on 3.8 acres, amid crop farms. 3-story, c. 1856 with 4875 sf, columned porch with decorative brackets & cornices, carved doors & generous foyer. Sunlit parlor & dining room w/ FPs, period moldings & French doors. Sweeping staircase, tower w/ bright BRs, cupola w/ views. Well-maintained w/ new infrastructure. Perfect as private home or venue.

❚ Eliane M. Abramoff 917.608.2680

We live and breathe the Hudson Valley. (That’s what makes our company so healthy.)

Germantown Classic Charm $795,000

Stately 1860s farmhouse on 15+ acres outside Germantown with large, 4-column front porch, wood siding, dark shutters & slate roof. Wood floors throughout, 4400 sf of living space. Space is broken up into a 5 BR/3 BA main living space, plus to two 1 BR apts. accessible from side entrance. Maintain for income purposes or reconfigure back into single family home. In-ground pool.

❚ Rachel Hyman-Rouse 917.686.4906

Chic Barrytown Home & Studio

$879,000

Privately sited 1880 gem, 4 BR/3 BA with separate studio. Restored & updated with eclectic design sense, open kitchen/dining area with sunny east & west exposures, wood stove, and screened porch. Living with wood-burning fireplace, built-in bookcases & walk-out balcony. Front & back staircases connect 3 floors of living space.

❚ Pamela Belfor 917.734.7142

Twin Lake Houses

$1,450,000

Two 2-story 3BR/3BA homes perched on a private 5 acre peninsula extending into 50 acre Twin Island Lake. Inviting & comfortable with brick FPs, country kitchens & cozy dens. Beamed lake rooms with windows on 3 sides connect you to ever-changing nature. Private porches & decks. Swim, kayak & fish. Fully Furnished. In Pine Plains.

❚ Eliane M. Abramoff 917.608.2680

Viking Farm

$2,500,000

Premier horse training facility in Milan, sited high up on 180 acres. Barn complex with 13 stalls, 2 wash stalls, 2 grooming stalls, farrier’s stall, feed room, luxe tack room with kitchen, dining area & bath, office. 1800 sf 2 BR/1 BA manager’s residence on 2nd story of barn. Both indoor & outdoor riding rings are Olympic-sized. Bucolic views & paddocks.

❚ Gary DiMauro 518.755.3973

Premier Mt. Merino Vistas

$2,599,000

Custom-built in 1965, gracious 4 BR/4 BA home in Greenport with panoramic Hudson River & Catskill Mountain views. Living room with beautiful fireplace, dining room, library, huge country kitchen, & master with ensuite bath. Indoor, heated gunite pool with attached family room & FP. 9 landscaped riverfront acres.

❚ Pamela Belfor 917.734.7142

Asian Prairie-Style Home $895,000

Sheltered within 8+ park-like acres w/ pool, pool house, tennis court, & seasonal mountain views. Sunlit 3 BR/2.5 BA in Hyde Park. Carved doors, high ceilings, spacious living & gathering rooms, patios & lawns, formal dining room with cabinetry, screened porch. Upstairs master suite w/ built-in wardrobes & enclosed porch, & home office.

❚ Eliane M. Abramoff 917.608.2680

Tivoli NY • Hudson NY • Catskill NY Rhinebeck NY • Kingston NY

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| WINTER 2020/21 • 67

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Looking for a home in the Hudson Valley? We’re already in the neighborhood.

Our network, your move.

83 KATONAH AVENUE, KATONAH, NY 10536. 914.232.3700 © 2020 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED HEREIN IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. WHILE, THIS INFORMATION IS BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT, IT IS REPRESENTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGES OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL PROPERTY INFORMATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO SQUARE FOOTAGE, ROOM COUNT, NUMBER OF BEDROOMS AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PROPERTY LISTINGS SHOULD BE VERIFIED BY YOUR OWN ATTORNEY, ARCHITECT OR ZONING EXPERT. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.

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INCREDIBLE 90-ACRE MAGICAL NATURAL PARADISE This property has it all: spectacular panoramic Catskill mountain views and sunsets; a beautiful, serene deep spring-fed lake; and miles of roads and trails all within minutes of thriving Hudson. Proposed as a housing development that was approved in 1989, valuable initial infrastructure has been constructed including mile-long engineered roads with 15 house sites (each with its own tax map number), plus three drilled wells. Adjoins 500 acres of conservation land… $1,895,000

MID-CENTURY HIGH-STYLE RANCH Two angled stone-clad wings welcome you to the entrance which opens to the living room with vaulted ceiling and fireplace, spacious kitchen and dining area, opening to a huge deck. Two bedrooms and baths complete the upper level. The lower walk-out level contains a third bedroom and bathroom, various other work and play rooms and two-car garage. Secluded 25-acre property has lovely vistas and swim pond… $649,000

CAREFREE COUNTRY CONTEMPORARY Set back from a quiet lane, on a one-acre property that includes two enchanting babbling books rushing over and around massive rocks, this immaculate home includes living room with ultra-tall vaulted ceiling, modern kitchen and dining area with doors to the screened gazebo and spacious deck overlooking the stream, three spacious bedrooms, two baths, plus family room loft… $425,000

GALLERIST’S PLACE Elegant ground-level gallery and two-level residence is in the heart of Hudson’s Warren Street. Built in 1892 with twostory Queen Anne oriel windows, this architectural beauty has many original details, open live/work spaces, four bedrooms, new rubber roof and updated mechanicals and lush rear garden… $1,250,000

STRIKING SPACIOUS COMMERCIAL BUILDING 1898 brick building on a double lot in Hudson with 7,200 sf commercial/residential space. Two original storefronts total 3,000 sf with 16' ceilings; could be one or two retail spaces, restaurant, cafe or gallery. Upstairs, a tastefully renovated 4,200 sf duplex has options for single family living, apartments or B&B, as currently used. The expansive light-filled second floor has two fireplaces, comfortable living and dining areas, custom kitchen, three spacious bedrooms with sitting rooms and luxury baths. The third floor has four additional bedrooms with baths. A private garden and garage are at the rear… $1,750.000

PANORAMIC CATSKILL VIEWS WITH SPORTSMAN’S CABIN Rare opportunity to own a 40-acre private property with one of the most extraordinary panoramic views of the entire Catskill Mountain range from an attractive off-the-grid solar sportsman’s cabin surrounded by hundreds of wooded acres and accessed by a half-mile artfully curved private road. There are multiple locations where an exceptional residence can be built with views of a lifetime, unhindered by modern intrusions. The cabin can function as a guest house or studio. Property is centered in idyllic Hillsdale… $765,000

ELEGANCE AND STYLE IN THE COUNTRY Charming 19th century house has wrap-around porch, large double parlor where wide board floors were faux painted by renowned artist Frank Faulkner. Eight French doors and the open plan provide ideal flow for entertaining and connecting inside with the outside that features the long porch, slate patio, stonewalls, lovely lawns and gardens. On a quiet country acre, just minutes to Hudson… $549,000 upstate HOUSE

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INDEX O F ADVERT IS ERS INDEX O F A DVERTI S E R S Adirondack Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

GlennÕs Wood Sheds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

NYSERDA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Alfandre Architecture, PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Go Green Express Home Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Ogawa-Depardon Architects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Balzer and Tuck Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Halstead Hudson Valley LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Paul Hallenbeck Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Barbara Carter Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Halter Associates Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Peggy Lampman Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Beaver Mountain Log Homes, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Hudson River Valley Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Phinney Design Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Belgrove Appliance, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . inside back cover

Hudson Valley House Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Quatrefoil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Innovation Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Ridgeline Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Hudson Valley Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62, 63

James Wagman Architect, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Rob Hare Maker of Things . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Blink Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Janson Scuro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Roman Professional Engineering

Cabinet Designers, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Jeff Wilkinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Roman Driveways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

CG Stone Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Kathryn Whitman Architecture, PLLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

RYCOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Clarkson University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1, 45

Kimlin Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Shay Builders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Conklin Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Larson Architecture Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Solar Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Country House Realty & Red Cottage Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Lighthouse Solar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Stevens Property Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Deer Ridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

LV WOOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . back cover

Stone Ridge Electric Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Douglas Elliman Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Mid Hudson Home Inspectors LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Sunflower Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

DPBArchitects PLLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Murray Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

WaterFurnace International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Exposures Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Natural Energy Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

William Wallace Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Finch Clubhouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Nissan of New Rochelle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Williams Lumber

Gary DiMauro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

NY for Clean Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

& Home Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . inside front cover, 32, 33

Pittsfield Kinderhook Coxsackie Windham

Chatham

Cairo

GREENE

MA Stockbridge

Hudson

Catskill

COLUMBIA

Hunter

DELAWARE

Lenox

Ghent

MASSACHUSETTS

Fleishmanns Livingston Margaretville

Shandaken Phoenicia

Sheffield

Saugerties Woodstock

Ashokan

Red Hook Millerton Kingston

Rhinebeck

ULSTER

CONNECTICUT

Sharon

Stone Ridge

Liberty

Millbrook

Hyde Park Fallsburg

DUTCHESS

New Paltz

Ellenville

SULLIVAN

Highland

Monticello

Salisbury

Kent

Poughkeepsie

LaGrange

Thompson

Wappingers Falls Pawling Beacon

Newburgh Middletown

Cornwall-on-Hudson

PUTNAM

ORANGE Harriman

Peekskill

Warwick Stony Point New City

M A P O F TH E REG I ON 70

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online at upstatehouse.com

ROCKLAND Nyack

Yorktown Heights

Croton-on-Hudson

WESTCHESTER Ossining Tarrytown

Danbury

The Barbara Carter Team

Savannah Miceli 845-275-9259

David Stokrocki 845-706-4753

Andrew Centrone 585-203-4746

Your resource for residential and commercial Hudson Valley Real Estate

BarbaraCarterTeam.com BarbaraCarterTeam@gmail.com

CENTURY 21 ALLIANCE REALTY GROUP Fine Homes and Estates and Commercial 1136 Route 9, Wappingers Falls, NY | 203 Main Street, New Paltz, NY

Dominick Martorana 914-474-7028

Angela Paul 914-474-7028

Barbara Carter 845-505-3160

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| WINTER 2020/21 â&#x20AC;¢ 7 1

B EFO RE & A F T ER BLUE QUILL CABIN

Blue Quill Cabin was transformed from a rustic hideaway (above) into a contemporary vacation rental (below).

hen the phrase “rustic, peaceful Catskills retreat” comes to mind, the image of Blue Quill Cabin is about as perfect a match as one is likely to find. Nestled among tall, sheltering trees and overlooking the headwaters of the Neversink River, the cozy cabin contains more than enough charm to satisfy any solitude seeker. This bucolic spot in Claryville, a hamlet of the Sullivan County town of Neversink, is the perfect place to wind down and forget about the wider world for a weekend—or longer.“The most Googled word for people in New York who are looking to visit the Hudson Valley is ‘cabin,’” explains Jennifer Grimes of Red Cottage Inc, which manages the vacation rental. “And our guests always tell us that Blue Quill Cabin is exactly what they were hoping for with the idea of a cabin in the woods. They want to experience something that’s ‘rustic’ and completely opposite of their lives in the city, but without sacrificing creature comforts like the ones Blue Quill has.” 72

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online at upstatehouse.com

The two-bedroom 1950s cabin—just under three hours from New York—sleeps four guests comfortably all year round and is set on four acres that also include Pine House, a screened outbuilding with a sectional sofa perfect for lazy afternoon napping. The main structure was outdated and not quite as warm and welcoming when Grimes, whose company was established in 2007 and currently owns and oversees 50 area rental properties, acquired it in 2019. “It had all natural-finish wood inside, pretty dark,” she says. “I repainted all of the walls and ceilings a nice, neutral white, while leaving the cross beams unpainted to add dimension. There weren’t many windows, and the ones that existed were smaller. I added more windows and replaced a lot of them with larger windows, which let in tons of sun and give you amazing all-around views of the woods. You can literally watch the river from bed.” Besides brightening up the cabin dramatically, Grimes’s renovation also warmed it up, literally. “The fireplace was the only source of heat, so I added two modern split heating units,” she

explains. “One in the bathroom and a kickspace heater in the kitchen.” The stoic stone fireplace was fitted with a natural gas insert and the kitchen and bathroom were given updated makeovers with clean-lined counters, all new stainless-steel appliances, new sinks and fixtures, and a retiled shower. Other amenities include an outdoor grill and fire pit with seating, WiFi service, an outdoor shower for the warmer months, and cable TV complete with Netflix and Amazon Prime. The newly built wraparound deck is another way to enjoy the sublime surroundings, which include a nearby seasonal swimming hole. Fresh water anglers will be hooked by the fact that the Neversink River is considered by many to be the birthplace of American fly fishing. And Livingston Manor, with its two microbreweries, is only a 30-minute drive. “Being able to sit under the trees by the river, with a cup of coffee in the morning…” muses Grimes. “It’s really a dream.” —Peter Aaron REDCOTTAGEINC.COM

Vintage to

MODERN the Stove Lady has you covered

SALES CLE ANING REPAIR RES TOR ATION

Visit stovelady.com or call: (914) 664-5231

Wood is universally beautiful to man It is the most humanly intimate of all materials - Frank Lloyd Wright

Upstate House Winter 2020/2021

Articles inside

HIGHWOOD SPIRIT

DESIGN PROFILE: THE BLANK WALL IS TIRED

BEFORE & AFTER

HOME PROFILE: ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE

HOME PROFILE: A HANDCRAFTED WOODLAND RETREAT

THE MAKER

AREA SPOTLIGHT: HUNTER

AREA SPOTLIGHT: RHINEBECK

THE STUDIO

MARKETWATCH

THE ROOM

THE SOURCE