Roundhouse at Beacon Falls

I am so impressed with the Roundhouse at Beacon Falls I just had to blog about it.

Just two years ago, my daughter Phoebe showed me four old mill buildings that sit alongside a ferocious waterfall within Fishkill Creek, which runs along the bottom of the town of Beacon. She told me that a developer wanted to turn them into a state-of-the-art, upscale hotel and event center.  Soon after that, she announced that she was working on a proposal to create a yoga space for the project. And sure enough, today she is working there. She has a yoga program in full swing in a temporary space until the new studio is ready, and also is helping to design and then, run the new spa when it opens.

Having lunch at the Roundhouse's beautiful Swift restaurant this week, seeing all that's transpired already, and imagining the kind of vision a person would have to have to re-create those four old buildings into the crown jewel that it's becoming, is awe-inspiring.

I was already impressed with the management of the project for having the wisdom of hiring my daughter! But they were also wise to tailor their plans to fit the charming town of Beacon. Beacon is already a magnet for those who love creativity; its many galleries, coffee houses, and clever little shops line the streets. It's become a refuge for artists from the city who no longer care to pay the high price of living there.  The Roundhouse project includes artist lofts, which are already sold out. The eclectic design present in the high ceilinged Swift restaurant, the magnificent lighting scheme in the 2EM Lounge, the views of the Fishkill, all appeal to the artistic senses.

Artistic appeal isn't the only thing going for this project; the buildings are being designed to meet LEED standards.  The mill, which produced  felt and fur hats in the 1800s, was powered by a hydroelectric plant. The plant will be restored  to provide green energy for the complex. There is plenty of open green space for admiring the beautifully landscaped gardens. Phoebe speaks very highly of the management, but her words proved out one day last Fall when she pointed to a guy watering the lawn across the way, and told me that it was Robet McAlpine, the developer of this project. So he's not just in an office somewhere far away, barking orders into the phone. He actually retired to Beacon 5 years ago and used his own retirement funds to finance the project. That is real ownership!

It's exciting to hear Phoebe talk about the Yoga workshops she's planning (Yoga and Wine Tasting, anyone?!), choosing products for the soon-to-be-opened luxury spa, and  logistics like how to advertise and reach her yoga audience. I really think she's found her niche. On her Facebook page for Yoga at the Roundhouse, she's been running a Gratitude challenge; most days for the past few weeks she posts something she's grateful for and asks her readers to respond. I'd just like to express my gratitude for people like Mr McAlpine, who have the vision to dream a project like the Roundhouse, the courage to carry it out, and the faith he puts into the people that help him. I am glad that my daughter is one of them, and I'm sure the folks at Roundhouse at the Beacon will be, too!