MILLBROOK — At the beginning of 2020, the Millbrook Business Association (MBA) was looking forward to a good, if ordinary, year. With a new president, Millbrook village Trustee Kevin McGrane, new vice president, David Gruning, and a new website (still being designed), the future held promise. But by spring 2020, the coronavirus pandemic had changed everything, including the Millbrook economy and how local businesses were faring.
Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered non-essential businesses to shut down temporarily in mid-March due to the virus. Some were able to simply change their hours and offer curb-side service or delivery, like restaurants; others, later on, could open at a limited capacity by enforcing safety protocols like requiring face masks and offering hand sanitizer. Now, roughly one year later, the MBA gave an update on how local businesses are faring.
Jennifer Moriarty, who owns the gift shop, Juniper, on Franklin Avenue, said she is grateful her business is doing well. She credits her customers shop online and in person, understanding how important it is to shop local. Juniper has adjusted its hours and days.
“Our customers care and stand by us,” said Moriarty. “To survive these trying times we need this to continue.”
Gruning said that the home décor business he’s involved with, Millbrook House, located at 3300 Franklin Ave., which also sells unique gift items and offers interior design services, has a clientele that comes mostly from the city, by appointment. That, he said, has made a difference in maintaining a steady customer base that’s not reliant on walk-in business.
Millbrook House follows all COVID-19 safety measures, and is looking forward to seeing things return to normal, said Gruning. The business is currently updating its website.
Irene Wing, who manages St. Joseph’s Church’s thrift store, Uncle Al’s Attic, said it’s being very careful to observe all safety measures, and continues to only allow a few customers in the shop at once. It’s still managing to maintain a steady business, she said.
The pandemic has brought city residents and others to Millbrook, said Wing. She spoke of three young ladies who were in the Hudson Valley hiking before winter arrived, who stopped in the village to investigate. They told Wing that they were surprised at how careful everyone was about wearing masks, social distancing, while still being friendly and inviting. Wing said she hopes that will bode well for future business in Millbrook.
Alicia Adams Alpaca reported an uptick in online sales during the pandemic, said employee Heather Loveland, who feels the Franklin Avenue store is lucky it can sell online. The popular shop is open, sanitizing, requiring masks and following all CDC guidelines for keeping shoppers safe.
A number of village businesses made good use of the warmer weather before the colder weather arrived, with sidewalk sales and outdoor dining.
The Antiques Mall and Millbrook Antiques both capitalized on the idea, and business was steady throughout much of the spring and summer, according to those who worked there. Black Friday and Small Business Saturday saw active sales, reported the two longtime businesses. They hope January and the rest of winter will keep the trend going.
But there have been changes in the Millbrook business community, according to the MBA. The Painted Peach, which was located on Front Street next to the Post Office, has closed. Its owner and one of the vendors who sold out of the store now sell their wares out of the Antiques Mall. It seemed like a good fit, said Gruning, who added the women fortunately have a loyal following.
J. McLaughlin manager Ann Barton reported the upscale clothing store is holding its own, as it has many steady customers.
“We’ve been busy,” said Barton after the holidays. “[Customers] feel safe, because we limit the amount [who can shop at once]. We sanitize continuously; clothes are left for 24 hours after they’ve been tried on before they are brought back out.”
Barton said the store also has new customers from the city, who want to escape to the “country” for a break.
The new Cordially Corinne’s has been open for a few months now. Its owner, Corinne Tardio, said her paper specialty shop did better than expected during the summer, but did not report on holiday sales. She’s taking every safety precaution to protect her customers.
Marona’s Market manager Jan Smith said business has picked up during the pandemic. The community-minded supermarket is sanitizing regularly and following all safety protocols. Smith said she sees new faces all the time as well as her “steadies.”
Two other businesses that closed include the Blue Barn B’nB. Proprietor Joan LaCasse retired after six years in Millbrook, announcing she wanted to relax.
“I’ll have fond memories, and I’ve made good friends,” she said. “But it’s time for a new chapter, to turn to a new page.”
Samantha’s Sweet Shop on Church Street also closed, due to owner Samantha Martin getting ill, though no word if it was with COVID-19. The sweet shop was open for only two summers as well as for 2020. Martin said she was “sad” about closing, and thanked everyone who helped her along the way. She added the sweet shop wasn’t her primary business and that all proceeds supported the community.
“It is hard to keep a business open in Millbrook — support for all of the small businesses is imperative for them to stay open,” she said. “This is their livelihood and saying you’ll support them and buying [their goods] are two different things.”
And that’s the bottom line, agree Millbrook merchants, who hope locals and visitors will do exactly that in 2021, to help them survive the current health crisis and beyond.
NORFOLK — Edward R. George, 86, of Norfolk, and Key West, Florida, passed peacefully away, Dec. 20, 2024, at Wolcott Hall with his wife Mary by his side. He was the beloved husband of Mary (Welch) George. Ed was born on Sept. 17, 1938, in Torrington during the Hurricane of ‘38.
He was the youngest of six born to Richard and Sophie (Swyden) George. He proudly served 17 years as a Torrington Firefighter, retiring after being injured in a house fire.
Ed owned and operated Merit Quality Pools, a business he started with his son as a service company and built it into a construction, retail store and full-service company for over 45 years.
He was very proud of his Lebanese heritage. Ed was an avid gardener and fisherman. Ed and Mary spent a good part of each year in Key West where they had a wonderful group of friends. There were picnics at the beach every Sunday and holidays. Ed was always ready for a good time or a road trip.
In addition to his wife, Mary, he is survived by his son; Michael R. George (Mary), his daughter, Lynn Colangelo (Peter) and his stepdaughter, Shannon Santoro (Gaetano) of Harwinton; one brother, Fredrick George (Joan) of Torrington; three grandchildren, Michael E. George (Maria) of Torrington, Lauren Santoro and Nicolas Santoro of Harwinton; three great grandsons, Gabriel, Nikolas, and Zachary George of Torrington as well as many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by three brothers, Ernest, Louis and Marshall and one sister, Jeanette King.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at noon at Cook Funeral Home, 82 Litchfield St, Torrington, CT. Burial will be private. Relatives and friends may call from 10 a.m. until noon at Cook Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Norfolk Lions Ambulance PO Box 399, Norfolk CT 06058.
Condolences may be sent to the George family by visiting www.cookfuneralhomect.com
Leap year 2024 was another good year to buy and sell real estate in the North East corner of Dutchess County despite political turmoil and high interest rates; however, recorded results for the year in these four rural towns are distinctly different from one another. The markets of these four small towns — North East, Amenia, Washington and Pine Plains — all saw median prices for single family homes rise compared to last year with the biggest increase of 39% to $487,500 in the Town of North East and the smallest increase of 1.8% to $353,750 in Pine Plains. Both North East and Washington closed the year above the Dutchess County median price of $430,000. A closer look at real estate transfers over the last twelve months, including commercial and land as well as residential housing, reveals the unique dynamics of each town.
With 46 recorded transfers of property, rural Pine Plains is the least active and least expensive market in our readership area with only 46 public and private transactions, fewer than four a month, totaling $18.4 million. Residential sales accounted for 78% of the activity with only two houses selling for over one million dollars. The largest land sale was 174 acres at Pulvers Corners to Carson Power for a solar farm for $1.8 million. The project received approval from the Pine Plains Planning Board at the end of 2023 and beat back a legal challenge over the summer. The most talked about commercial sale was the former Lia’s Mountain House at 7685 Route 82 for $625,000 which is being transformed into an events venue and catering operation. The property was the most expensive of the four commercial properties sold in the town during the year.
North East and the Village of Millerton recorded 62 transactions totaling $34.8 million, almost double that of Pine Plains. Similarly, it had more than double the number of properties selling for over a million dollars. The most expensive was $4.05 million for 1081 Route 83, an architect designed estate with “heart stopping views” on 126.99 acres. The highest sale of a home in the Village of Millerton set a record to date of $670,000 on 38 Simmons St. There were two commercial properties sold in the town during the year. Bank of Millbrook bought the former Elizabeth’s Jewelry store on Route 44 for $890,000 and MadRose gallery purchased 5 Main St. for $469,000. Land sales were limited to six building lots ranging in price from $62,500 to 18 acres on Mountain Farm Road for $365,000.
The Town of Amenia has two separate real estate markets, public and private — Silo Ridge and everyplace else in town. Sales at gated community Silo Ridge of both lots and condos/villas accounted for $52.5 million or 67% of Amenia’s total dollar volume recorded transfers this year. Without Silo Ridge sales Amenia’s transaction volume in 2024 would be only $26.4 million — less than 75% of North East’s sales. One Key Multiple Listing Service reports that the Amenia median home price in 2024 without Silo Ridge was $351,000 – less than the $487,000 in North East, and $353,800 in Pine Plains. Outside Silo Ridge’s stone walls Amenia has many affordable neighborhoods as well as elegant estates like 22 Smithfield Road which sold for $3.7 million or 173 Kennel Road with 107 acres which sold for $3.9 million — the only two transfers in Amenia outside of Silo Ridge this year for over a million dollars. Resales at Silo Ridge are now beginning to happen with over 50% returns on the owners’ original investment. There were four transfers of commercial properties including the most expensive — Seravan Restaurant, now Panacea — which sold for $800,000. Sales of vacant land accounted for 15 of the 69 transfers including a total of $16.1 million for seven lots sold at Silo Ridge and eight town properties sold ranging in price from $45,000 for 3.7 acres to 32 acres for $500,000 on Cascade Mountain Road.
The Town of Washington and Village of Millbrook, collectively known as Millbrook — the Hamptons of Dutchess County — is by far the most active real estate market of the four with total sales of $106 million in 2024. Of the 72 transfers, 15 were over a million dollars, including three estates over $5 million and the median price for the year was $609,000, a 26% increase over 2023. Migdale Castle, built by John D. Rockefeller’s only daughter and renovated by the art-dealing, horse-racing Wildensteins for a rumored $20 million was sold at auction by Sotheby’s for $10.8 million. But Migdale was not the most expensive property. That honor went to an estate at 123 Fraleigh Hill Road with 145 acres, an 8,264 square foot house with six bathrooms, six fireplaces, an equestrian facility, swimming pool and sporting clay range for $12.45 million. Meanwhile three even pricier properties remain on the market at $18 million, $28 million and the Hitchcock estate with 2,078 acres for $65 million. Despite the sales of stunning houses on large parcels of land, approximately 30% of sales — especially on the village’s smaller lots — closed at less than $500,000 in 2024.
*This analysis is based on real estate transfers recorded between Dec. 1, 2023, and Nov. 30, 2024, sourced from Dutchess County Real Property Tax Service Agency. Only transfers with consideration are included. Median residential sales results are from One Key MLS. Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Advisor with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in Connecticut and New York.
MILLERTON — Katie Cariello, the school-to-work coordinator at the North East Community Center, has moved into a new role as the Town of North East’s Planning Board Secretary.
“I’ve really taken to the North East area,” Cariello said. “I enjoy frequenting the libraries, shops, restaurants, and supporting local farmers and makers. I realized there was a space I hadn’t frequented yet, and that was our local government.”
The part-time position requires Cariello to attend two Planning Board meetings a month and to write the minutes for those meetings.
“When I saw the secretary position, I knew I wanted to throw my hat into the ring,” Cariello said. “I am excited to serve the board in taking notes and providing an accurate account of meetings. I’ve attended a couple of Town meetings as well as the latest Planning Board meeting and am looking forward to taking on the role. ”
Cariello has been working at the North East Community Center for over two years as their school-to-work coordinator. After being offered this position, Cariello and her husband moved to Amenia in 2022, and then purchased their first home in the village of Millerton in 2023.
“As a newer member to the community, I want to be present and be a part of the local fabric,” Cariello said.
MILLBROOK — The village anticipates welcoming former Trustee Peter Doro to the position of Village Mayor in January following his election in November, along with two new Trustees. The exercise of reflecting on the past year shows accomplishments and progress on some major projects.
Millbrook’s youngsters did their part. The annual observance of Arbor Day in late April saw students enrolled in Grades K-2 at Elm Drive Elementary School helping with the planting of an elm tree in honor of their school.
In May, work began on the Stanford Road bridge over the east branch of Wappinger Creek, replacing the old structure with a new wider bridge. Stanford Road remained closed to traffic for the summer months.
On June 1, the village welcomed a new Chief of Police. Keith Dworkin.
For the first time since 2015, the Millbrook Library sought and received voter approval of a November ballot proposition to increase library funding within the town’s annual budget, only the third such funding request in the library’s history. Voters approved an increase of $165,000 to a new total of $349,000 for library support.
Following two public information sessions in October and November and mailings to each household, a mid-November special referendum on the school district’s capital plan saw defeat of all three proposed construction elements.
Three years in the planning, the project would remediate actively leaking roofs at two schools, the more severe problem found at the Middle School. The capital projects would install lifts for ADA-required access and allow for air quality monitoring and improvement within all schools in the district.
Because the plan includes critically needed maintenance work and repairs to areas with water damage, the district will continue the discussion into 2025 on a revised plan which voters can support.
Two major construction projects were a focus throughout the year. In late August, a contract was awarded by the Board of Trustees to replace storm drains on Washington Avenue. The work was completed before the end of the year.
A project to upgrade the village wastewater treatment plant received advice from the town’s bond counsel on how to amend the original 2022 resolution to reflect higher project costs of about $10 million.
A December report given at a Trustees meeting, presented by a representative of the engineering firm of Tighe and Bond, reviewed the status of required studies and early steps toward completing grant applications. The coming year will see continued progress.
