A Midcentury Retreat by Architect and Usonia Founder Aaron Resnick Lists for $999K
Aaron L. Resnick is best known for his role as a founding architect of Usonia, the Frank Lloyd Wright-planned residential neighborhood located an hour north of Manhattan. Starting in the late 1940s, Resnick, together with fellow architect and engineer David Henken, built out the community's initial infrastructure and designed several of its first homes, including one for his own family. By the mid 1950s, though, Resnick was expanding Wright's Usonian principles throughout New York, including the notable Calabi-Picker house.
Architect and engineer Aaron Resnick is best known for founding and designing a dozen homes in the now-named Usonia Historic District in Westchester County, New York. A notable exception is the Calabi-Picker House, located an hour north in Lagrangeville.
Built in 1954 for Paul Calabi, the 1,800-square-foot residence sits atop eight wooded acres, nestled within a clearing of 50-foot Norway spruce trees. Such earthy surroundings complement the home's natural materials and simple, nature-loving design—all key elements of Usonian-style homes. Featuring original birch cabinetry and slate flooring, along with stacked bluestone walls and floor-to-ceiling windows, the three-bedroom house feels perfectly unified with the surrounding landscape.
A dramatic stone-walled hallway leads to the main living area.
The home's centerpiece is an expansive great room complete with a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, which provide an intimate outdoor connection. Anchored by a bluestone fireplace, the skylight-lit space also features exposed cedar rafters and original red slate flooring.
In 1983, Resnick designed an addition to the house, enclosing an outdoor terrace to serve as a work studio for then-owner Tobias Picker, an American opera and ballet composer. Picker's mother, the local painter Henriette Simon Picker, lived in the home until her death in 2016 at the age of 99. Simon Picker built a career as an accomplished shoe designer in New York City, at one point having her designs illustrated by a young Andy Warhol for fashion magazines.
The open-plan communal area also includes a small dining space in the corner.
The spacious galley kitchen features original birch cabinetry alongside modern upgrades, including marble subway tile and stainless steel appliances. Windows stretch along one wall, connecting the space with the lush surroundings.
The home's current owner, Michael Moloff, a hospitality and restaurant executive, appreciates how the site and design blend together. "The home is the perfect antidote to a stress-filled, busy world," he said. "I have experienced many engaging moments of wildlife from the comfort of the living room. The organic materials provide a sense of security, warmth, and calm." Now ready to share the experience with new owners, Moloff recently listed the property for $999,000.
Inside a sunroom, red slate floors contrast with stacked bluestone and wood-clad walls. Natural light pours in from windows surrounding all sides of the space, along with additional exposure from several skylights overhead.
Outside, a large pool is surrounded by a bluestone terrace and enjoys views of the surrounding Catskills. "Built into the landscape at a lower elevation and hidden from view of the main house, the pool provides a serene, resort-like feeling," says the current homeowner, Michael Moloff.
Engaged with its surroundings inside and out, the Calabi-Picker House blends classic Usonian architecture with the serenity of a secluded mountain retreat.
Editor's note: This article previously misstated the location of the home as in the Catskill Mountains, whereas the property is located in nearby Dutchess County and offers views of the Catskills.
205 Emans in Lagrangeville, New York, is currently listed for $999,000 by Michael James Tellerday and Jill L. Rose of Houlihan Lawrence.
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