Buildings on parade

The Sullivan Showcase Awards

By FRITZ MAYER

BLOOMINGBERG, NY — There’s still a bit of a pall over the real estate industry in the region and specifically in Sullivan County, but you couldn’t tell it by the remarks of the winners at the 2009 Sullivan Showcase Awards.

Well, maybe you could tell just a bit. Gregory Lewis of New World Homes, which took the award for best new modular home with a LEED platinum-certified house in Youngsville, told the audience, “I’ve got some brochures in my briefcase. I’ve got a quota of 10 homes, I’ve got two more, so I’ve got eight weeks to go,” which brought a laugh from the assembled real estate professionals.

Will Foster, who picked up the award for best new home under 2,500 square feet, asked the audience how many worked in a real estate office. After a show of hands, he informed them that the house was for sale, which brought another round of laughs.

The awards, which honored the best in architecture, renovation and building in the county, were handed out at the Eagle’s Nest in Bloomingberg on November 12.

Patti Devine, who took the award for best commercial renovation for the Café Devine on Lower Main Street in Callicoon, said, “This is what happens when you’re sitting snowbound in Callicoon in January. I needed a place to go and sit with my lap top. And there was nowhere to go, so I bought a building and renovated it.”

Jan Van Nordstrom, whose Grahamsville farmhouse took the prize for best residential renovation, told the audience, “Now that I’ve renovated a farm house, I’m not afraid of anything.”

Jeff McMahon, an architect and contractor who is new to the area, and whose sustainable green home in North Branch took the award for most unusual and/or interesting home, said “Eleven of my 12 subcontractors were new to me, they were all locals, and I worked with a new design team. And I appreciate all of the people around here who welcomed us warmly and have given so much effort to this.”

Maurice Gerry, whose home in Ferndale took the honors for best residential construction over 2,500 square feet, referenced his famous brother Alan in his remarks. He said, “Alan Gerry built Bethel Woods Center for the Arts; I couldn’t compete, so I stayed in Ferndale…. When you do something and you create something that you really love, and then you’re lucky enough to be able to share it with the community. That’s what really this house is all about.”

2009 Sullivan Showcase Awards

• Best Residential Spruce-up: John Mather and Kevin Dwyer, North Branch

• Best Residential Renovation: Jan Van Nostrand, Grahamsville, Architect/Designer Jaime Stankevicius

• Best Modular Construction: New World Home, Youngsville

• Best Residential Construction (under 2500 sf): Will Foster, White Sulphur

• Best Residential Construction (over 2500 sf): Maurice Gerry, Ferndale

• Unique/Most Interesting Residential: Jeff McMahon and Lizanne Haimes, Bobolink House, North Branch

• Best Commercial Spruce-up: Jeff Bank, Forestburgh Road, Monticello, The First National Bank of Jeffersonville

• Best Commercial Renovation/Mixed Use: “On the Mat” Yoga Studio, Main Street, Mountaindale, Ken and Barbara Schmitt

• Best Commercial Renovation: “Café Devine,” Lower Main Street, Callicoon, Patti Devine

• Best New Commercial: “Rock Hill Healthmart Pharmacy,” Rock Hill Drive, Rock Hill, Scott and Diane Mace

• Unique/Most Interesting Commercial: “Catskill Mountain Sugar House,” Glade Hill Road, Grahamsville

• Best Municipal/Public Building Project [awarded $2000 grant for beautification by Sullivan Renaissance: Bloomingburg Fire House