Glen Tonche
Glen Tonche is an estate atop Mount Tonche, in Ulster County, near Shokan, New York.
| Glen Tonche | |
|---|---|
 Glen Tonche – Allaire Studios | |
| |
| Alternative names | Allaire Studios (2001–2007) |
| General information | |
| Status | Extant |
| Type | Private family estate |
| Architectural style | Tudor |
| Location | Ulster County, near Shokan, New York |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 42°00′11″N 74°11′19″W |
| Completed | 1928 |
| Owner | • Raymond Pitcairn and later the Pitcairn family (1928–1998) • Randall Wallace (since 1998) |
The estate's house was built in 1928 as the summer family compound of American businessman Raymond Pitcairn, whose family founded PPG Industries.
Design
Under Pitcairn ownership the 18,740-square-foot (1,741-square-metre) compound on 22 acres (9 hectares) was largely made up of two main wings connected by a covered walkway. The balance of Mount Tonche – over 1,000 acres (4.0 square kilometres) – is under restrictive preservation.
The property as a whole reflects a blend of Tudor-style architecture with some Arts-and-Crafts influences. The south wing was a pentagon configuration housing the main kitchen, two servants' quarters, six guest bedrooms, six full baths, and a massive glass-enclosed mountaintop porch. The wing also featured a 29-by-36-foot dining hall capable of seating 100 or more guests. The north wing housed the library, eleven bedrooms, seven full baths and two-and-one-half baths, three-room servant's quarters, as well as a great room with 30-foot-tall (9.1-metre) floor-to-ceiling windows and 60-foot-high (18-metre) vaulted ceilings.[1]
Transfer from Pitcairn ownership
The estate remained in the Pitcairn family until it was put on the market in 1995 for $3.9 million, then $2.9 million, then in late 1998 down to $1.95 million,[2] at which time it was sold to photographer and musician Randall Wallace.[3]
Allaire Studios
The first record recorded at Allaire was Harvest Home by Jay Ungar in 1999. The studio was then substantially renovated and reopened in 2001 and has remained open since then[4] where rock musician David Bowie recorded his album Heathen (2002).[5] and his next one, Reality (2003)[6] In 2001, singer-songwriter Norah Jones recorded her debut album Come Away with Me (2002). During five weeks in late 2006, the rock band Rush recorded the album Snakes & Arrows (2007).[7]
Resale
Reconfigured from the Pitcairn ownership built in 1924 the main house included nineteen bedrooms with three separate apartments on the property. The estate was purchased by New York photographer/musician Randall Wallace in 1998, winterized and turned into a world-class Destination Recording Studio where David Bowie, Norah Jones, Rush, Tim McGraw and many other bands recorded (Glen Tonche is also known as Allaire Studios on Wikipedia). Mr. Wallace kept the name for the property, Glen Tonche. The property was briefly offered for sale by Mr. Wallace when he lived on the West Coast however, in March 2016, he returned permanently and Glen Tonche was reopened with a new Neve Shelford Mixing Board and is still known internationally as the recording studio, Allaire Studios, now managed by its owner Randall Wallace who lives on-site.
References
- "Rob Grant & Associates Real Estate".
- "Rob Grant & Associates Real Estate – Adirondack Real Estate, Catskills Mountains Estate, Hudson Valley Retreat, New York Real Estate, Adirondack Real Estate, Catskills Mountains Estate, Hudson Valley Retreat, New York Real Estate, Adirondack Real Estate".
- Golson, Blair (July 21, 2003). "Bowie's Bower". The New York Observer.
- Randall Wallace, owner of Glen Tonche/Allaire Studios (2017)
- Smith, Jesse J. (August 2, 2003). "Ch-Ch-Change of Scenery Awaits Bowie in Shokan". Daily Freeman.
- https://www.discogs.com/David-Bowie-Reality/release/4189179
- "Rush Snakes & Arrows" Archived February 10, 2013[Date mismatch], at the Wayback Machine.