Milan Case Study: A Mid-Century Model Of Design And Smart Home Technology Breaks Ground
The Milan Case Study is a new 10-home development bringing together the best of modern design and a reverence for nature.
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The high-end mega developments currently under construction in Dutchess County, New York — Silo Ridge in Amenia and Bellefield in Hyde Park — seem to subscribe to the design and planning ethos of “more is more:” hundreds of units, on-site spas, restaurants, a golf course and agrarian window dressings to assure residents that they’ve indeed bought a house in the country.
The Milan Case Study, off of Academy Hill Road in Milan, takes a decidedly different approach. It’s expensive and it’s exclusive, with just 10 custom-built houses starting around $1 million. But what you get for it is the natural seclusion of unspoiled 10-15 acre lots and cutting-edge modern homes that work in concert with the natural surroundings and with limited environmental impact. These are futuristic houses that see the beauty of the land already there as the most important feature.
The Milan Case Study development features three elegant, highly customizable base models, designed by award-winning architect James Garrison. The mission of the project is “guided by the key principles set forth in the mid-century modern architecture movement: affordability, excellent design, use of modern building techniques, and utilization of the latest technologies to solve problems.”
The project’s developers, childhood friends Adam Pacelli and Nick Mahedy, have worked on major development projects in NYC and Brooklyn and first looked to Long Island for this project before falling for this parcel farther upstate.
“We’ve always had a love affair with modern design and the concepts of the Dwell House,” said Pacelli. “We initially looked at Sag Harbor for this project before getting turned on to this parcel. In Sag Harbor, these houses would have to cost five times as much and you wouldn’t want to be there. Here you start with a big lot and a ton of options and you get to craft your lifestyle.”
Each house features an open concept for the kitchen, living, and dining areas, flowing to a large porch. Master bedrooms have private porches and ensuite bathrooms, and two bedrooms share a full bath. The exterior features a one-car garage or studio space and a saltwater pool.
The structures are prefabricated so the builders are able to minimize waste and there's very little harm done to the land in the building process. Apex Homes in Pennsylvania builds the modular aspects for the project, which take just two to three days to install.
Case Study homes are designed to exist in any location and the developers claim they will exceed local codes and standards, combining advanced building envelope techniques and insulated concrete forms to produce airtight energy-efficient homes. With its emphasis on limiting the environmental impact of the homes, Case Study is using the latest solar, geo-thermal and smart home technologies to produce as much energy as possible and allow owners to remotely manage the home while away.
“This is an exclusive product but the goal is also to offer our customers a smarter product,” said Pacelli. “They are customizable high-end homes built to your specifications within six months. It’s as good as it gets.”
It’s easy for any new developer to see the value in the “Red Hook-Rhinebeck Corridor,” Pacelli said, adding that while Hudson gets a lot of deserved attention from folks looking to migrate up the river, Milan is just a half hour south on the train line and close to the Taconic Parkway. Not to mention that nearby towns in Dutchess have more and more to offer. every year.
Of the 10 homes slated for the site, four have already been sold. Interested parties can visit the developer’s showroom in Brooklyn to see plans in person. A home following the same plan has already been constructed in Woodstock.
Pacelli said they have long-term plans to create other, more affordable housing in the area that will similarly adhere to their environmentally conscious and modern design sensibilities. As a proof of concept, the Milan Case Study will be an exciting project to watch as it produces homes for the lucky families who will soon be moving in.
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