A restored mid-century glass house designed by a notable architect is for sale in the Hudson Valley. Roy O. Allen, an original partner of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), built the home at 104 Marlborough Road in Briarcliff Manor in 1957 in the International Style, evident through its glass-wrapped facade, simple form, and connection to nature. Following two renovations that have respected its architectural integrity, the home is back on the market for $2,999,000.
Allen designed the home as his family’s residence and he lived there for about 10 years, according to a 2015 Architectural Digest article. He joined the New York office of SOM in 1943 and worked there until 1980, when he retired, according to the New York Times. One of his most well-known projects is 1 Liberty Plaza, a 743-foot-tall skyscraper in the Financial District that opened in 1973.
Allen’s glass pavilion was inspired by the International Style of architecture, which became popular in the early to mid-20th century. The boxy home features a long rectangular shape and an all-glass facade that allows views straight through the home.
Sellers Michael Brown and John Kapla bought the home in 2018 for $1.75 million from Fred Woodward, the former design director for GQ and art director for Rolling Stone. Woodward and his wife Janice made some changes to the home after buying it in 2008, including replacing the terra-cotta floor with a deep gray terrazzo and adding a fireplace, according to AD.
“It just presents itself, and you see right through the house to the river,” Brown told Mansion Global in an interview.
“It was the fall. It was the perfect time,” Brown said, referring to his first visit to the property. “Everything was orange and beautiful, and I was essentially sold before even seeing the inside of the home.”
Sitting on nearly 1.6 acres, the home measures 4,000 square feet across one level, with every room offering views of the Hudson River and lush surrounding landscape.
Brown and Kapla, who have experience restoring architectural gems, modernized the home without losing original elements.
They reconfigured the primary suite, which includes an upgraded bathroom with Waterworks fixtures snf Calacatta Verde marble, and a custom walk-in closet made with glass, wood, and leather. Walls have been upholstered with green suede and there’s a stone accent wall.
A new bedroom suite was created, adding wool Stark carpet and an en-suite Waterworks bathroom in Sahara Noir marble. According to Mansion Global, another original feature of the home is a record player room, which has been restored to have a Sonos sound system built into the walls.
Topping off the peaceful retreat is a saltwater pool and covered patio. Although it’s only 40 miles from Manhattan, and has easy access to the MetroNorth, the home feels like a world’s away from New York City.
[Listing details: 104 Marlborough Road by Joanna Rizoulis and Amy Smith-Sroka of William Pitt – Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty]
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Photo courtesy of Joe Kravetz for Laurel & Grand and Dan Milstein
