The Glenmere mansion, overlooking Glenmere lake, approximately 50 miles Northwest of New York City in Orange County, NY, was built by Newport, RI Art dealer Robert Goelet in 1911, on the grounds of his sprawling estate in Sugar Loaf, NY, a hamlet of the town of Chester, NY. Goelet is said to have ordered the construction of the structure, overlooking Glenmere Lake, to ease the homesickness of his Tuscan bride. Soon the estate and its storied hunting grounds became a regular haunt of Babe Ruth, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
Mr. Goelet hosted numerous 'sporting-set events at the estate, including equine ice-racing [1]. Mr. Goelet's younger of his two sons, Peter, began radio station WGNY-FM, from the grounds of the mansion in 1930.
Glenmere mansion was sold to Mr. Abraham Prusoff during the second world war, during whose ownership the private mansion was transformed into a resort hotel with upscale amenities which included a Golf course, Ski run & tennis courts [2]. By the 1960s, Abe Prusoff found it increasingly difficult to keep the resort's finances in order,yes, and, in the next decade, the mansion and estate were seized by Orange County as a tax lien.
In 1985 the mansion and estate were purchased at tax auction by real estate magnate Rick Mandel [3].
Mr. Mandel lived in the structure in its original state over a period of 20 years
Glenmere mansion changed hands again in 2007, becoming the center of an environmental battle between the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation [[1]]and the mansion's developers. The mansion's developers were fined and cited by the DEC for environmental violations impacting the endangered Northern Cricket frog not found on the property.Glenmere Mansion fined.
An historic archive of photographs, ephemera & documents pertaining to the storied mansion is maintained by the non-profit Sugar Loaf Historical Society, and online photographs, of the mansion and the original architectural plan and 1921 photographs of the estate's Tuscan formal garden may be viewed at archives of the non-prof Glenmere Conservation Coalition.
Glenmer Mansion has been completely renovated using state of the art geothermal heating and cooling systems, one of the largest in New York State, and has been saved by a group of historical preservationists who turned the mansion into a luxury 19-room Inn with 2 restaurants (www.glenmeremansion.com). The Inn opened to great acclaim in the Orange County community and has been perfectly restored.
References
External links
- New York Times Dec. 31 1914
- Chester's skiing heritage
- Chester's slippery past
- Rick Mandel saved Glenmere mansion
- Glenmere Mansion fined