Landmark Community of Majestic Lakeside Homes Debuts with Grand Opening of Windermere on the Lake

June 17, 2008 - PRLog -- A unique collection of majestic lakeside homes that perfectly blends timeless 19th Century architecture in a classic English village setting with modern lifestyle amenities and the latest “green” technologies has debuted with the Grand Opening of Windermere on the Lake in North Stamford, Connecticut.

For more information about Windermere on the Lake, visit www.windermereonthelake.com or call the Sales Center at (203) 322-0055.

“Windermere on the Lake is a remarkable place of enduring value with profound attention to siting, architecture and landscape design,” said Mark Robbins, President of Windermere on the Lake at a grand opening event held May 14. “Today we are proud to celebrate the grand opening of a world-class residential development that is unrivaled in its classic architectural design, luxury finishes, fine craftsmanship and long-term environmental stewardship.”

Speaking at a Grand Opening reception attended by city officials and community leaders including Stamford Mayor Dannel P. Malloy, Mr. Robbins added, “The creation of this unique community is the result of years of planning by a first-class development team.”  

Set on 74 wooded acres in the historic Long Ridge section of North Stamford, Windermere on the Lake draws its aesthetic inspiration from the architecture and gardens of the 19th Century English Arts and Crafts movement which emphasized graceful forms, high quality craftsmanship and sweeping continuous rooflines that appeared to blend into one another and the landscape.

Designed by Roger Bartels of Bartels-Pagliaro Architects of Norwalk, an award-winning firm renowned for its successful adaptations of the Arts and Crafts style, the 24 semi-custom homes at Windermere on the Lake feature four distinctive styles named after locales in the England’s Lake District – Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire and Westmorland. The elegant interiors of the meticulously crafted homes are characterized by light-filled spaces where extensive bays of casement windows provide stunning views of the surrounding natural landscape. The homes, which range from four to six bedrooms and include three-car garages, are priced from $3.2 million to $4.8 million.

All of the homes at Windermere on the Lake feature Christopher Peacock kitchens, baths and cabinetry throughout the home. Standard features include Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, hand-cut stone and tile in kitchens and baths, Waterworks fixtures, Baldwin hardware, hardwood 5”oak plank floors, masonry fireplaces and natural cedar shingle roofs. Interior options include wine cellars, home theaters, custom libraries, steam showers, elevators and exercise rooms. Exterior options include landmark towers, light monitors, outdoor cooking/entertainment areas and walkout basements. Noted interior designer Karen Houghton will assist each homeowner in customizing fabrics, furnishing and finishes.

A gated, maintenance-free community, Windermere on the Lake offers a host of lifestyle amenities including an outdoor swimming pool, tennis court and Field House with fitness center. Residents can also explore the property’s extensive walking trails, canoe on the lake or fish from a floating dock.

Windermere is the first planned residential community in the United States to feature the signature landscape designs of renowned British landscape architect Simon Johnson, who will create a custom English country garden for each home. Optional features available to homeowners range from the simple, such as sweeping lawns, specimen trees and swaths of bulbs, to the more elaborate with terraces, arbours, flower gardens, a pool, and fountains. Three optional plans allow homeowners to create even more elaborate gardens with fountains and swimming pools. Stone walls, which are built from stones on the property, blend with the wooded property while providing privacy for each residence.

Simon Johnson has likewise developed the master plan for Windermere on the Lake to ensure that each residence is properly sited to enhance the beautiful vistas while preserving individual privacy and maximizing southerly exposures to reduce energy costs.  He is also responsible for assisting in the development of extensive and ongoing Habitat Management and Restoration Protection Plans to ensure lifelong preservation of the property. Windermere on the Lake features wildflower and butterfly plantings, bluebird nesting boxes and log crib habitats in the ponds to encourage native wildlife to thrive.

Windermere on the Lake utilizes the latest “green” technologies and environmentally sensitive habitat management plans to create a unique residential enclave in harmony with the natural surroundings. The design of the homes incorporates a wide range of eco-friendly and energy-saving features including geothermal heating and cooling systems, paints and carpeting with extremely low VOC levels (volatile organic compounds), solar powered street lighting, high performance windows and insulation, heat recovery ventilation systems and extensive use of sustainable building materials. The property also utilizes a sophisticated sediment filtration system whereby storm water leaves the site cleaner than when it entered.

Windermere on the Lake is the first residential development in Connecticut to seek the prestigious LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, a rating system developed by the United States Green Building Council that serves as the benchmark for high performance green buildings. In addition, the Energy Star qualified homes at Windermere on the Lake meet efficiency guidelines set by the Federal EPA.

“We’re taking the concept of green technology to another level and developing one of the most comprehensive eco-friendly residential communities in the United States. We believe that what we are creating at Windermere on the Lake will serve as a national prototype for environmentally sustainable residential development,” said Mr. Robbins.

As a conservation development, 25 acres of the property have been donated to the Stamford Land Conservation Trust – the largest gift in the Trust’s history. An additional 25 acres is retained as permanent open space. “Windermere on the Lake represents an unmatched commitment to conservation and resource protection that is unprecedented in its scale,” said Mr. Robbins.  

Windermere on the Lake is the inaugural community of NRDC Residential, a newly formed division of National Realty & Development Corp., one of the leading real estate firms in the Northeast. NRDC Residential builds environmentally sustainable, architecturally superior planned communities.

Contact: Dean Bender, Thompson & Bender, (914) 762-1900, dean@thompson-bender.com

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About NRDC Residential: NRDC Residential is a division of National Realty & Development Corp., one of the leading real estate firms in the Northeast. NRDC Residential builds environmentally sustainable, architecturally superior planned communities.