Amenia, NY, may only have a population of 4,436, but pretty soon this tiny hamlet of Wassaic will be on the map for something else: a new luxury development.
The Discovery Land Company has plans to build an 850-acre development called the Silo Ridge Field Club. The space will be a mix of commercial and residential properties.
The area will feature a 245-home gated community, with homes ranging in price from $1 million to more than $10 million.
The community will also offer an 18-hole golf course designed by golf architect Tom Fazio.
Developers have also allotted $250 million to go toward amenities for the Silo Ridge Field Club, including an organic community garden, an equestrian center, an outdoor theater and a spa. Luxury spas like the one expected to appear in the development tend to offer services ranging from deep tissue massages to laser treatments for varicose veins, which affect around 40 million Americans.
Amenia and surrounding communities are often compared to the Hamptons, though real estate tends to be far cheaper in the Hudson Valley. For example, a six-bedroom Victorian home can sell for under $295,000, and 27 acres of land has gone for just $99,000 before.
The Discovery Land Company also developed Montana’s Yellowstone Club, which is home to rich and famous figures like Bill Gates and Justin Timberlake.
The area contains nothing close to what Silo Ridge will offer in terms of luxury amenities, according to Discovery Land CEO Michael Meldman. He said that the community will be especially popular for those who love outdoor pursuits.
“Obviously, the primary amenity is golf,” Meldman told the New York Times, “but there is so much more to do out there than just golf.” Meldman named activities ranging from hunting and fishing to hiking and mountain biking, and also named the organic garden’s food-to-table program as yet another amenity.
Silo Ridge is approximately 90 minutes from New York City by car or about two hours by train. It is the first Discovery Land project in the Northeast.
The development is estimated to create about 3,000 construction jobs in the area, along with 200 full- and part-time jobs for local residents. According to Amenia supervisor Victoria Perotti, it could also generate around $7.7 million in annual tax revenue over the next ten years.
Real estate experts also predict that it could influence home prices in the area.
Elyse Harney Morris, broker and owner at Elyse Harney Real Estate in Connecticut, said that the development could lead to an increase in demand for homes in the area.
“There are not really any comparative properties, because Discovery Land Company is selling a whole lifestyle, with the golf course and the spa and riding facilities,” Harney Morris said. “It is not just a farm.”