Laura Hurley, the newly elected Mayor of Millbrook, said plans for an arts and cultural center were in the works for the Thorne Building. While the idea is supported by the community, funding is the major issue. "For almost two years we've been trying to get a cultural arts center up and running," Hurley says. But it seems that developers "don't have funding to make the necessary renovations—and neither does Millbrook."
In April of 2009, about a thousand gallons of oil leaked beneath village hall. This disaster, in turn, cost over $1 million to clean up. Although the village owns the Thorne building, Hurley says, "We are not prepared to invest taxpayer dollars at this time."
Olesia Plokhii, managing editor of the Millbrook Independent, the village's newspaper, explains that two schools of thought exist when it comes to development. One refuses outside developers—it is understood that development is inevitable; if development is necessary, it ought to be locally organized. The other ideology considers the beneficial aspects of development while remaining cautious considering economic, educational, and logistical implications. "The general point of view is that [community members] just don't want to be inundated by commercial development," Plokhii says.
She also discusses an issue that developed directly alongside Millbrook's growing popularity with Manhattan natives and those who yearn for country breeze. She explains what her colleague has dubbed "The Millbrook Myth."
"The perception is that this is The Hamptons of Dutchess County," she says. Realtors realized an untapped market in Millbrook for second homeowners and the myth began. Plokhii explains. "A perception then began to spread that Millbrook was a paradise for the rich and the wealthy. The reality is that wealthy people have come and settled here and they contribute heavily to the tax revenue of the community. But a lot of people aren't necessarily doing that well. The economy is hitting us—we feel it and we have for a while."
Thriving in the Downturn
Zach Hampton, owner of Millbrook's only grocery store, Marona's Market, is living proof that even in an economic tumult, businesses can thrive. He credits the store's 60-plus years of success to the personal relationship that exists between the store and the residents of Millbrook—full-time residents and weekenders alike. "If you're standing in an aisle, someone's going to ask you what you need," Hampton says. "If we don't have it, we'll call some other stores for you. It's the personal touch that I think keeps people shopping at Marona's Market rather than bigger supermarkets."
Plokhii says that while many businesses thrive, some still struggle to keep their doors open and most community members are hardly the millionaires they might be perceived as. These are working people who want to make a living and enjoy the breathtaking scenery and neighborly culture the quaint village has always offered.
Concurrently, America's economy has affected Millbrook's housing market in the favor of buyers. Peter Devers of George T. Whalen Real Estate says that the price of houses in Millbrook and the surrounding area are "as low as they're going to get in the foreseeable future. If you've got the wherewithal to come out and purchase something, now is the time." Devers cites 10 immediate listings including a $259,000 4-bedroom colonial and a $975,000 mansions-style estate.
Devers aligns real estate agents with those who may be struggling given today's economic climate. "A lot of agents aren't making a good living because of the lack of sales," Devers, who has been with the 75-year-old company for 30 years, explains. "Some agents have left the business or might supplement their income with part-time jobs elsewhere. Like any business, with the economy in a downturn it's pretty much the established agents or the lucky agents making a living."
Unfortunately for sellers, property values have dropped about 20 percent since the height of the market. Devers says that real estate agents increasingly have to tell sellers that they might have to settle for $50,000 less than they might have gotten four years ago. He remains confident in his buyers and sellers that there is product in the area for multiple price ranges.
"There's a new raft of people who feel more confident about the economy and their futures in particular, and they're coming out looking," he says.
Devers and Greenwood both remain optimistic about the aesthetic allure of Millbrook and believe that weekenders and families in search of a full-time residence will find moving to the village a sound investment.
Greenwood says moving to Millbrook in 1984 was a blessing. "The house is wonderful, the community embraced us with open arms and we've never looked back," Greenwood says. "I think it's the best thing to ever happen to us."
Resources
Marona's Market (845) 677-3471
Millbrook and Vicinity www.millbrookandvicinity.com
Millbrook Independent www.themillbrookindependent.com
Millbrook School www.millbrook.org
The Pumpkin House www.thepumpkinhousemillbrook.com
Village of Millbrook www.village.millbrook.ny.us
Tara Wing Photography www.tarawingphotography.com
Town of Washington www.washingtonny.org
George T. Whalen Real Estate www.gtwhalen.com
Wing's Castle www.wingscastle.com
