HILLTOP
RESORT LIVING
IN FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ
2 1 S H I N N E C O C K T R A I L
—A look inside this secluded Franklin Lakes
sanctuary and its inception. B Y L O A N N I E D A O
When two New Jersey residents
decided they wanted to find a place to
escape to, they went from living in a
modest home situated in a small town
to building their own oasis on one of
the highest points of Franklin Lakes,
New Jersey. e homebuyers, a CEO
and President of a large national book
distribution company, and an assistant
editor of a Jewish newspaper, both
craved an elevated lifestyle. To match this
lifestyle, they built a home just 30 miles
outside of New York City, a scenic retreat
adjacent to numerous great restaurants,
riding trails, fishing venues, lakes, golf
clubs and most importantly, a town that
lends itself to a life of leisure.
e five-bedroom/eight-bath house
sits above the main road near the Indian
Trail Club, where an 800-foot driveway
stretches along a wooded path that winds
around to its entrance.e property—
sitting at slightly over 3.5 acres—evokes a
connection to the natural world as it was
built on completely untouched territory.
But before it became the charming
sanctuary it is today, 21 Shinnecock's
inception was an involved endeavor,
one which began with blasting and
transporting nearly 300 truckloads of
stone off the property and a process
these homeowners stuck out from
concept to completion.
e owners went through a lengthy
process to hire an architect who
understood their vision. ey did
not want the typical, colonial-style
McMansion that already decorated
the community and together, they
interviewed 18 architects before they
met John Stonehill. Stonehill asked the
owners to send him photos of things
that appealed to them. Aer they spent
the following weeks tearing pictures out
of magazines, they compiled a catalogue
of images. Within these findings,
Stonehill noticed a common thread—
elements of water and sky.
V U E N J . C O M
56
REAL ESTATE
