Celebration at Belden House included Rep. Karen Reddington-Hughes and Sen. Stephen Harding. gathered to celebrate Belden House & Mews’ Award of Merit from Preservation Connecticut.
Belden House & Mews, Litchfield’s first luxury hotel in more than a century, received a 2026 Award of Merit from Preservation Connecticut during an intimate ceremony at the property Monday, July 27.
Presented annually, the award recognizes exceptional efforts to preserve and revitalize Connecticut’s historic buildings, landscapes and communities. At Belden House & Mews, that vision is reflected in the careful restoration of an 1888 Queen Anne mansion and the thoughtful integration of a 1959 modernist Mews building, preserving the architectural character of both while creating a contemporary destination.
Designed by Champalimaud Design, the studio behind Belden’s sister property Troutbeck in Amenia, the interiors blend global sophistication with a distinctly local sensibility. The property’s creative story is enriched by the work of regional makers and artisans, including custom furnishings by Ian Ingersoll, lighting by Dumais Made, tilework by Bantam Tile Works, millwork by White Dog Woodworking and drapery by Lakeville Interiors. The landscape, designed by Reed Hilderbrand, extends that same philosophy outdoors, creating gardens that are connected to the pastoral beauty of Litchfield County.
With architectural guidance from PBDW Architects and preservation expertise from John Kinnear, Belden House & Mews stands as a model for thoughtful restoration — a place where history, craftsmanship and contemporary hospitality meet.
Belden House & Mews, 31 North St., Litchfield. Find out more or make a reservation for the hotel, spa or restaurant at beldenhouse.com.
Lucia Iandolo
Art dealer Kim Schmidt at the 2026 Summer Salon in Lakeville.
For the summer, the Churchill Building Company at 332 Main Street in Lakeville has been transformed into a group exhibition space featuring artwork by emerging and established artists. Curated by private art dealer Kim Schmidt, who is based in Manhattan and Millerton, the 2026 Summer Salon Session opened on July 18, bringing together work by 45 artists in an exhibition designed to make art more approachable for collectors and casual viewers alike.
Committed to making art more accessible by bringing it into everyday spaces rather than museums and galleries, Schmidt hopes the “pop-up” will create a more inclusive environment where art lovers can discover a wide range of work while emerging artists have the opportunity to exhibit alongside more established figures.
“I really wanted it to be that mix of discovery, where you can walk in and buy something for $1,400, but it might be standing right next to something that’s $100,000,” Schmidt said.
Many of the featured artists are local, reflecting Schmidt’s strong ties to the region’s arts community. Those connections began when she and her husband organized fundraising auctions for Ukraine at The Re Institute in Millerton and Troutbeck in Amenia, introducing her to many of the artists who now participate in her exhibitions. The Summer Salon is open Saturdays and by appointment, with all works on view available for purchase.
Having purchased her first piece of art at 16 and spent four decades in the art world, Schmidt places as much value on the stories behind the artwork as the work itself. She said understanding an artist’s practice and motivations is central to the way she presents each piece.
“I am fascinated, and I really want to be able to discuss anything on the wall in a way that the artist is speaking through me.”
The Summer Salon is located at 332 Main St. in Lakeville and is open Saturdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Labor Day. To book an appointment, call (917)742-6456 or email kimschmidtart@gmail.com. To view the works on exhibit, visit kimschmidtfineart.com.
Dee Salomon
All gardens are works in progress; never static despite the best efforts of gardeners to freeze a perfect aesthetic moment year after year. Seeing a garden when it’s first planted is particularly intriguing and instructional. The recently opened Little Guild animal shelter is a visual master class in landscape design and native planting. You really should take a look.
That it was designed by two of the most venerated gardeners in our area is no surprise, given the notable people involved with bringing the new facility to fruition. Page Dickey, author of many books on gardening, and Jeff Lynch, who recently left his role as head gardener at Weathersfield to consult for clients, selected plants that will be able to thrive, once established, without watering. The planting and maintenance is being done by Jameson Secco of Roots and Branches Organic Landcare.
The “architecture” of the planting layout relies on an alley of multi-stemmed serviceberries anchoring the path that borders the building’s façade, as well as several swamp oak trees that will grow to provide dappled shade for the parked cars and underplanting.Beneath them is a seemingly simple mix:three species of sedges; two that mound, Carex laxiculmis and Carex rosea; and one, Pennsylvania sedge, which will eventually spread its tufts throughout.Blue phlox will do the same, as well as provide spring color.As you approach the entrance, different flowering plants and shrubs appear: foamflower, bowman’s root, skullcap ‘Appalachian blues’ and Clethra alnifolia, sweet pepperbush.
Along the side that faces Route 128, a mix of shrubs covers much of a steep slope, which ends in a swale that collects water runoff and, if we get some meaningful rain, might become a small pond.Here you will see winterberry, witch hazel, buttonbush, yellowroot and a plant I have not come across before, groundsel bush (Baccharis halimifolia), which Lynch says can get as tall as 16 feet and has fluffy white flowers in August.Brilliant red bee balm ‘Jacob Cline’ punctuates the planting with color between the shrubs, much as the phlox does on the entry side.
The back of the building has not yet been planted.Still, seeing such an early-stage planting informs us how to place different trees, shrubs, grasses and forbs (flowering herbaceous plants) to work in challenging areas.For The Little Guild, an organization that cares so deeply about animals, planting native species, which nurture wildlife and preserve habitat, is very much in line with its values.
Normally we are invited to view gardens only when they are considered “done,”but equally interesting are gardens that are in the process of becoming.In these, the negative space and the plants that fail or prove more aggressive than previously thought are all on view.Private garden tours may not reveal this early stage, but around public buildings it is in plain sight for us to enjoy and learn from.
In Falls Village, horticulturalist and landscape designer Deb Munson, again with Page Dickey, installed native plant beds around the Hunt Library last year.The project was funded by proceeds and contributions to the winter speaker series “Bad Grass,” founded by Jeb Breece.
As with the Little Guild, there is still evidence of a recently planted garden; the Allegheny spurge — the native Pachysandra procumbens — has not yet covered the ground around the rhododendron. (A note about this native pachysandra:in addition to providing erosion control and nutrition for native insects, this elegant plant thankfully lacks the invasive quality of its commercially popular Asian counterpart, whose moist environment is favored by ticks.Lindera nursery carries it.)
The entrance side of the library has filled in well: a serviceberry tree; the flowering shrubs clethra, aronia and fothergilla; and flowers including bowman’s root, coneflower and the amsonia cultivar “Blue ice.”
The addition of native planting around some of our important community institutions encourages us to plant native infrastructure at home — a beautiful way to protect habitat, keep water healthy, hold erosion at bay and sustain the natural world around us.
Dee Salomon ungardens in Litchfield County.
Millerton News
Ancram Center for the Arts will host its second annual Summer Bash on Saturday, Aug. 1, from 6 to 10 p.m. at The Farm at Pond Lily in Elizaville. The fundraiser features a cocktail reception, buffet dinner, a performance by acclaimed musical duo The Bengsons, dessert and an after-party. Emmy Award-winning actor Rena Sofer and Broadway performer Danielle Skraastad will emcee the evening. Proceeds support Ancram Center’s performances, artist residencies and free educational programs. Tickets are limited and available at ancramcenter.org.
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Millerton News
Garden Help. Looking for an experienced person to weed my acre garden and cut back some plants. In Salisbury. For July and August. Could continue into Fall. naylor99@gmail.com
Home Help Needed. Part Time. Sharon. 407-620-7777.
NOW HIRING - Chef and Kitchen Help. The Millerton Inn is looking for a talented and passionate Chef and line cooks to join our team! If you thrive in a fast-paced kitchen, take pride in creating exceptional food and work well with a team, we’d love to hear from you. Competitive pay. Great team. Growth opportunities. Apply in person at The Millerton Inn or send your resume at themillertoninn@gmail.com
NOW HIRING — Bartenders and Servers. Join the Team at The Boathouse in Lakeville. We’re looking for friendly, reliable, and energetic Bartenders and Servers to join our team! If you enjoy working in a fast-paced, welcoming environment and take pride in providing outstanding customer service, we’d love to meet you. Apply in person at The Boathouse in Lakeville, or contact us at boathouseatlakeville@gmail.com
Hector Pacay Landscaping, LLC. Residential & Commercial. Tree service, Painting, Masonry, Stone Walls, Lawn Mowing, Gardens, Construction. 845-636-3212. CT and NY.
SHARON Huge Tag Sale on Saturday August 1 from 9 to 4 p.m. and on Sunday August 2 from 11 to 4 p.m. at Sharon Methodist Church, 112 Upper Main Street. Our basement is over-flowing. Too much to list. Something for everyone. Also on Saturday is the annual arts and crafts show On the Green. Customers can enjoy shopping at both events.
PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Equal Housing Opportunity. All real estate advertised in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1966 revised March 12, 1989 which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color religion, sex, handicap or familial status or national origin or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All residential property advertised in the State of Connecticut General Statutes 46a-64c which prohibit the making, printing or publishing or causing to be made, printed or published any notice, statement or advertisement with respect to the sale or:rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, age, lawful source of income, familial status, physical or mental disability or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.
1Bd/1b apartment in Amenia. $900 a month. 860-309-4482.
MT RIGA LAKEFRONT CABIN. Private beach, canoe, kayaks, fishing. $1,275/week. 585-355-5245.
Millerton News
LEGAL NOTICE
Coldworks Mechanical LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/28/2026. Office location: Dutchess County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: P.O. Box 353, LaGrangeville, New York 12540-0353. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
07-23-26
07-30-26
08-06-23
08-13-26
08-20-26
08-27-26
LEGAL NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that an Application for Authority of Jones & Daughters Hudson Valley LLC, a foreign limited liability company, was filed with the Secretary of State of New York pursuant to Section 802 of the Limited Liability Company Law. The name of the limited liability company is Jones & Daughters Hudson Valley LLC. The jurisdiction of its formation is Connecticut. The date of its formation is January 28, 2026. The county within New York State in which the office of the limited liability company is to be located is Dutchess County. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the limited liability company upon whom process against it may be served, and the post office address to which the Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process served upon the Secretary of State is Jones & Daughters, 34 Main Street, Millerton, NY 12546. The principal office address of the limited liability company is 34 Main Street, Millerton, NY 12546.07-23-26
07-30-26
08-06-26
08-13-26
08-20-26
08-27-26
Legal Notice
Notice of Formation of Chapters & Charm LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on May 22nd 2026. Office location: Dutchess County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 16 Barton Street,
Millerton NY 12546. Purpose: any lawful act or activity.
07-16-26
07-23-26
07-30-26
08-06-26
08-13-26
08-20-26
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (LLC). Name: Garnet IT Consulting LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on [07/01/2026]. Office location: Dutchess County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: 22 South Randolph Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
07-23-26
07-30-26
08-06-26
08-13-26
08-20-26
08-27-26
Legal Notice
Please take notice that the Town of Pine Plains Town Board will be accepting sealed bids for the purchase of the following materials for the year 2027:
1) Bituminous asphalt (various sizes) including cold mix asphalt using the most current posted price index.
2) Crushed stone (all sizes).
3) Ice control sand- all
crushed stone shall meet Section 703 of the NYS-DOT ‘Standard Specifications’ and Natural and Processed Sands and Gravels, Crushed Stone, Aggregate, Run of Bank Gravel specifications of County of Dutchess. All stone and asphalt materials shall come from NYS-DOT approved plant. Bid prices on all of the above materials per ton, with the exception of asphalt should be for both F.O.B. and delivered.
4) Liquid calcium chloride for summer and winter.
5) Blended diesel fuel.
6) #2 Heating oil for garage, winter mix December through February for heating oil only.
7) Mid-Grade and Regular no lead gasoline.
8) Liquid Propane for garage and library.
All bids should use the Albany OPIS for the Friday immediately preceding the bid opening date.
Bids will be accepted until 12:00 noon Friday August 14, 2026 at the Town Clerks Office, PO Box 955, 3284 Route 199 Pine Plains, NY 12567 at which time they will be opened and read aloud.
In order for your bid to be considered complete, the following must be submit-ted as required by Section 103D of the Municipal Law:
Non-Collusive Bidding Certificate
Certificate of Insurance Naming Town of Pine Plains as Certificate Hold-er
All bids must be submitted in sealed envelopes with the following information on the outside:
1. Materials Bids 2027
2. August 14, 2026, 12: 00PM
The Town Board reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids. The F.O.B. plant price will be analyzed with full consideration given to the distance of the plant to the project location.
Any questions should be directed to the Highway Department at (518)398-6662.
By order of
The Town Board of the Town of Pine Plains
07- 30-26
08- 06-26
LEGAL NOTICE
TOWN OF AMENIA MATERIAL AND
EQUIPMENT BIDS
BIDS FOR THE PERIOD
9/17/26- 9/16/27
NOTICE is hereby given that sealed bids for the purchase of material and equipment used by the Town of Amenia during the year will be received until 2 p.m. on Thursday, August 20, 2026 at the Town Clerk’s Office, Town of Amenia, Town Hall, 4988 Route 22, Amenia, NY 12501 and opened and read at the Amenia Town Hall, 4988 Route 22, on Monday, August 24, 2026 at 10:30 a.m.
Bids are requested for the following road materials: Bank-run, sand, Item #4, crushed quarry stone and washed gravel, light, medium, and heavy stone fill, sub base NYS DOT Type #2, calcium chloride, bituminous mix hot and cold, road oils, concrete, catch basins and equipment rentals, Tree Work, Sweeping.
Detailed specifications may be obtained at the Highway office at 845-373-9922. All bids must include a notarized non-collusive statement and corporate bidders must file a corporate resolution with a corporate seal. All envelopes must be clearly marked “Bid 9/17/2026 to 9/16/2027”.
The Town Board reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids. Bids will be awarded at the next scheduled Town Board Meeting September 17, 2026.
Megan Chamberlin Superintendent of Highways
Town of Amenia
07-30-26
08-06-26
NOTICE OF
PUBLIC HEARING TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF NORTH EAST
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the North East Town Board has scheduled a public hearing on the adoption of Local Law No. B of the Year 2026 entitled: “A Local Law Changing the Residency Requirements for the Office of Town Highway Superintendent” on Au-gust 13, 2026 at 7:15 p.m. at the North East Town Hall, located at 19 North Maple Avenue, Millerton, New York. The purpose of the Local Law is to provide that the person performing functions of Town Highway Superintendent need not be an elector of the Town of North East. Any person desiring to be heard on said Local Law shall be provided with an opportunity to do so at the public hearing. Copies of the proposed Local Law are available on the Town’s website, official board and the Office of the Town Clerk during regular hours. By Order of the Town Board dated July 9, 2026.
ELIZABETH STRAUSS, Town Clerk for the Town of North East
07-30-26
Nathan Miller
The former Roe-Jan Center School on Route 22 in north Copake was abandoned in 1999. Developers are proposing turning the building into a resort and spa.
COPAKE — The long-abandoned Roe-Jan Center School could soon be transformed into a large hotel and wellness resort.
Engineer Alan Didio of Chatham and architect Paul Bennett of New York City are currently before Copake’s Zoning Board of Appeals with a proposal to turn the 41-acre site into a hotel and resort. The plans include a 97-room hotel in the former school building, 31 standalone lodges and cabins containing an additional 77 guest rooms, three restaurants, two bars, a spa, Pilates and yoga studios, a gym, saunas and steam rooms, a farm store with on-site greenhouses, retail shops including a bakery and an ice cream shop, two swimming pools, two hot tubs, a pickleball court, and a tennis court.
The school building was abandoned in 1999 when the Taconic Hills Central School District consolidated operations into a Craryville, New York, campus. It is currently owned by Markland Columbia LLC, which purchased the property for $500,000 in 2014.
The proposal calls for renovating the existing buildings on the property, with additions to the former school to accommodate hotel rooms, dining areas, and many of the resort’s amenities, including the spa, gym, bars, and retail space.
New construction will stretch around the outside edge of the property that sits along the west side of Route 22 between Copake and Hillsdale. Drawings show a planned road running around the perimeter of the property providing access to 15 lodges with between three and five bedrooms. Walking paths will lead to 16 additional smaller lodges, with one to two bedrooms each, planned to line a new retention pond that is to be located in the southern portion of the property.
All together, the lodge buildings will total more than 64,000 square feet of new building footprint on the property. That’s in addition to the 97-room, 82,000-square-foot hotel that is planned to occupy the abandoned school and an addition to the building.
The proposal is still in its early stages, having first been introduced to Copake’s Zoning Board of Appeals at that board’s May 28 meeting. The proposal is currently undergoing a public hearing at the Zoning Board of Appeals, which began on Thursday, July 23, at Copake Town Hall.
Gina White, who operates Mandala Yoga & Arts in a building just south of the abandoned school, said she’s waiting to watch the development move through regulatory processes before forming an opinion on the project.
Generally, though, White thinks the plans are likely to be positive for the area. “It’s a resort town,” she said.
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