Adapting Over The Years, The Mill Kicks-Off Leasing In Glenville

GREENWICH, CT — Bisecting the Byram River with a pastoral mill pond and dramatic waterfall in Glenville, The Mill has changed and adapted with the times.

In 1981, developers Ralph Schacter and Sy Schwartz bought the property, located at 10 Glenville St., after the GAF Corporation closed down operations of a felt mill and announced intentions to sell. The two renovated and restored a building which came to be known as the 1881 Building, and built a new structure called the 1981 Building to create a premier suburban corporate office location.

But when the office market began to have some challenges in recent years, Ralph's nephew, Steve Schacter, and Sy's son, Eric Schwartz, stepped in.

They had the idea to redevelop the property again in to luxury rental apartments.

"[My father and Steve's uncle] had a long history, and it's really cool for Steve and I to be doing this now together. We're excited about it," Eric said. "We wanted to do something to this property that had been in our families. We wanted to repurpose it again and make it continue to work as the times change in order to adapt and make something that's going to be a great asset to the community."

After several years of going through approvals, leasing officially kicked-off earlier this week. Eric Schwartz said he's aiming for Aug. 15 as the date in which tenants can begin to move in.

Even though leasing is now underway, there has been a ton of excitement surrounding the project in recent months, Schwartz said, noting that about 600 people had expressed interest already.

The Mill will offer 59 residences altogether. The landscape around the buildings is being entirely redone with new native plantings, riverside walking opportunities and new gathering spaces for residents, as well as new site lighting and signage throughout.

The 1981 Building will house 33 units with 18 unique floor plans, ranging from one to three bedroom residences and each featuring its own outdoor space.

Tennants can enjoy floor to ceiling European windows, some of which feature triple-wide panes to take advantage of the exceptional water and landscape views, and high ceilings of nine-and-a-half feet. There are two corner three-bedroom penthouses with libraries that offer 15-foot-wide terraces overlooking the water and 30-foot-long "Great Rooms" for entertaining.

Additionally in that building, tennants can take advantage of office or library spaces if they work from home, or just need some extra room.

Eric Schwartz said the demand for such spaces has increased as a result of the pandemic.

"That's something we have in many of the apartments, and I think that is proving out to be something that is a big part of why people are really rushing to rent our apartments," he said.

The 1881 Building has 26 residences, with 19 unique floor plans, 11 of which feature outdoor space, ranging from studios to two-bedroom homes. Apartments will still feature some of the structural elements of the original building.

In both buildings, kitchens will feature premium cabinetry with Blum hardware and soft-close drawers, Quartz countertops, a full height tile backsplash, and appliances including Bosch, LG, GE, Viking, and Fisher & Paykel.

Bathrooms feature large format tile flooring with shower and tub surrounds, quartz vanities, and premium plumbing fixtures. All residences feature wide plank flooring and Whirlpool washer/dryers.

Other amenities include fitness centers in each building, therapeutic services by Greenwich Sports Medicine, on-site storage, a yoga studio, two restaurants -- Bambou Asian Tapas & Bar, and a new restaurant, The Lion, owned by Ron Rosa of Polpo fame, which is aiming to open in July. A concierge service will also be provided to residents.

Schwartz said Glenville's "village-like atmosphere" is appealing to a lot of people, since most necessities are available within a short walking distance.

Schwartz called it an "exciting time" for Glenville

The Town of Greenwich is currently working on the Glenville Corridor Traffic project to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety along Glenville Road/Street. In an offshoot of the project, the Glenville Beautification and Streetscape Task Force plans on enhancing aesthetics in the area so that the neighborhood is not just seen as a pass-through to Westchester County airport.

"It'll be a great thing to have Glenville really improve that stretch. It's a stretch that would really look terrific with some improvements," he said.

The market in Greenwich for both renting and selling homes is very strong right now, as people have moved around during the pandemic, Schwartz added.

"We know a lot of the people coming to rent are people who have sold homes and are really looking to simplify their lives and minimize the time they're taking to take care of their property, and let someone else do that," Schwartz said. "You've got this beautiful setting and we have a lot of great amenities on the property."

For more information on The Mill, click here.