Imagine walking down the sidewalk, passing home after home, seeing neighbors and friends relaxing on their porches—and actually waving. At the park, there are children playing and families lined up outside the nearby ice cream shop. According to Joseph Bonura Jr., principal of Bonura Hospitality Group, this idyllic, homey vibe is what the Traditional Neighborhood Development community in Red Hook aims to create: a carefully-planned neighborhood that really fosters connections.
There’s no exact definition for what the architectural structure of a “traditional” neighborhood should be. For Tradition at Red Hook, the plan was always to create a village-style community that was walkable, first and foremost, with access to local businesses and amenities while still fitting seamlessly into the landscape and farmland that’s been preserved around the development.
"This is not a place where the same house is built and repeated. Each one is unique,” Urban Designer Michael Watkins says. “So much of social media allows us to witness what’s going on in someone’s life but not necessarily be an integral part of it. Living in a neighborhood leads to the sense that everyone is really interconnected.”
As Bonura notes, the “beautifully-designed New England homes have a cottage-y, Craftsmen look to them,” making each home a tasteful piece of the neighborhood. All 102 homes (with both one-story and two-story models available) feature front porches connecting out to the sidewalk, which flows throughout the development. To add to the community, there will also be a playground, green, soccer field, and walking trails—on top of being near Holy Cow Ice Cream, the Enchanted Cafe, and Lyceum Cinemas.
“People want walkable lives. It’s a healthier lifestyle,” Director of Architecture and Design Giovanni Palladino says. “And it’s smarter and greener because it saves open space by creating density in a small area. And, most of all, it brings people back into the equation.”
For the team behind Tradition, the neighborhood offers an opportunity to bring old-school, more connected living back to Northern Dutchess County—while maintaining the creature comforts and environmentally conscious design that people want from their communities.
While not worrying about the more tedious, but necessary parts of homeownership, residents can really focus on living engaged, healthy, and active lives by enjoying the pool, fitness center, and walking trails.
And, as Palladino says, fostering those real, human, neighborly connections was always integral to the design of the project: “It offers a return to village living—which means an opportunity to really know and engage with your neighbors.”
For more information about Tradition at Red Hook (or to check out their neighborhood map), visit their website.
