The historic town of Tuxedo Park is attracting a new flock with a handful of buzzy developments popping up around town.
The lounge at The Lodge Restaurant at Valley
Surrounded by three scenic lakes and 70,000 beautiful acres of forever wild parkland, Tuxedo Park is growing into its skin with the help of resident, developer and owner of Tuxedo Hudson Realty Michael Bruno. The area is bejeweled with old mansions built between 1885 and 1930 by some of the most prominent architects of the era, creating an elegant, history-rich atmosphere. “You can buy a spectacular home with water views and mountain views for a very reasonable price [compared] to other parts of New York,” Bruno says.
Chastellux designed by McKim, Mead and White
Handsomely grand houses and delicately manicured landscapes are just a fragment of what Tuxedo has to off er. Grab a drink or play a round of golf at the private Tuxedo Club, or hike through the mountains of Sterling Forest State Park in what seems like another dimension—all just an hour north of the city.
Rivenoaks mansion designed by James Brown Lord
The versatility of the area is exactly what captured Bruno from the moment he moved to Tuxedo. “It’s really just this whole entity that has these elements, which are the club, the mountains and the lakes, the proximity to New York and the great architecture,” he says. “I looked at it and thought, ‘How can I beat this?’” The answer: buying a large chunk of buildings on Route 17 and turning them into restaurants and retail hot spots.
A residence in the beautiful gated community Pierson Lakes
One of the most notable developments Bruno funded is the multifaceted Valley Rock Inn, an eclectic lodge that opened in 2016 with rooms in the historic Waldron houses in Sloatsburg, which is about three minutes from Tuxedo. At the inn, which also boasts an art gallery and antique store, both travelers and local VR Mountain Club members can enjoy two indoor-outdoor restaurants, guided mountain biking and hiking, a 75-foot pool and a 7,000-square-foot gym.
In addition to the several eateries that have popped up since Bruno touched down, there’s a lot to look forward to in Tuxedo Park. A luxury wellness retreat is currently in the works, while Bruno is turning an old 18,000-square-foot building into a market and a street taco restaurant called Tuxedo Taco. As the area continues to flourish, weekenders and young families alike are flocking to this not-so-hidden gem.
Photography by: FROM TOP: PHOTO COURTESY OF VALLEY ROCK INN; PHOTO COURTESY OF TUXEDO HUDSON REALTY; PHOTO COURTESY OF TUXEDO HUDSON REALTY; PHOTO COURTESY OF TUXEDO HUDSON REALTY;
