Building This Record-Setting House in Dutchess County Today Could Get You Arrested

Believe it or not, when my wife and I made the decision to buy our first house in the Hudson Valley, we couldn’t find a property on the market with a helipad. So we settled on our 900-square-foot cottage in Newburgh. Enter “Ledgerock”, a Hyde Park property that hit the market in November. Not only is there room for a helicopter, but at $45 million, it also happens to be the most expensive piece of residential real estate in Dutchess County. Ever.

So maybe it wouldn't have worked out for us after all. You only have so many internal organs to sell on the black market to scrounge up that kind of down payment. Plus, we didn't technically have enough furniture to fill its five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, game room, gym, and spa. But take one look at this home and you can't help but dream.

The Modern Masterpiece

Dubbed a “modern masterpiece” by listing agent Jason Karadus from Corcoran Country Living, this 15,000-square-foot residence also boasts two pools, ten acres, a 5,000-square-foot deck with a hot tub and fire pit, and an eighteen-car garage complete with car wash. It even includes a separate 2,500-square-foot guest house and a staff apartment (rule #1 of owning a $45 million house: you don’t wash your own cars). But if all those features aren't enough to sell you (have you listed your liver on the dark web yet?), this house is no longer legal to build.

The Ledgerock property owes its name to the fact that the mansion sits directly on the Hudson River, offering unbelievable views of the water, mountains, and the sunsets beyond. But as Karadus mentions, this type of property is no longer allowed to be built. Updated ordinances state that all newly-constructed riverfront homes on the Hudson must be a minimum of 100 feet from the water’s edge, so this palatial estate is likely the last of its kind.

That’s also what dictates such a high price, and if someone deems $45 million a fair number for such a unique property, it will be the most expensive real estate sale in Dutchess County history.

So, what are you waiting for? As the listing states, it's only a 90-minute commute to the city, unless of course you hop on a seaplane (yes, they literally suggest a seaplane), or make use of the helipad. Unfortunately, even at $45 million, a helicopter is not included.

Check out the entire listing here.