Sloan Estate

Garrison, NY

River Architects led the renovation of this 9,000 square foot estate on the escarpment of the former Sloan Estate. The house was transformed from the original Carpenter Gothic to Italianate over generations of Sloan descendants. Past owners needed to park a 9,500 gal. oil tanker each winter on the estate to get them through the heating season with confidence.

The current owner wished to renovate the house in a Greek Revival style but with updated thermal performance and energy conservation of modern standards. This created the opportunity to implement Passive House techniques to drastically improve the performance of the building, severing it’s long dependence on fossil fuels. Some awkward additions made by previous owners have been removed. The house was transformed into a more compelling, unified whole by defining a clear relationship of the parts to one another.

The energy performance of the building was drastically improved by wrapping the entire masonry structure with 4 inches of rigid insulation and a continuous air barrier. High-performance triple-pane windows and appropriately sized geothermal wells were installed. Ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces that were never insulated are now filled with high-performance insulation. An energy recovery ventilation system was installed to optimize air quality.

The exterior of the home is now refinished with reclaimed, hand-fired brick from local brickworks- the brick mark indicates that they came from yards that once were in view from the porch. A two-story portico with masonry columns offers the grandeur expected of the design approach, and engages the sweeping views of the Hudson River Valley below, with a unifying frieze and window pediments. Zinc batten seam roofs add to the cohesive feeling of the house, and offer the durability of 100-year protection.

Highly Sustainable / LEED Certified (2020)

Photos by Pamela Cook