56 Brasher Rd, Wassaic, NY 12592

Cottage This lovely historic cottage is set back on 116 acres of quiet, beautiful wooded property. Living, dining, kitchen, laundry, and half bathroom are located on the first floor. Two bedrooms and a full bathroom are located on the second floor. The cottage also has a two-car garage and a large artist's studio or workshop in the basement. Non-Profit The Rex Brasher Association (RBA) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Because of this designation, there are strict rules and regulations for how the property and buildings are cared for and governed. It will be important for you to understand as much as possible about the RBA, its mission, and work that is required at an organizational level for 2023 through 2026. This is NOT a typical rental, which is why it is listed below market value. Please read through complete details below before applying. Limited Lease Term This lease is for a 12-month period, with an option to extend depending on RBA board approval. In order for the RBA to fulfill its publicly-stated mission, meet its organizational responsibilities, and qualify for non-profit tax exemptions, we are required to prepare the property and buildings for a museum and qualified residency program that will begin sometime in 2025. If you are an artist, sculptor, writer, musician, chef, naturalist, ecologist, environmentalist, or scientist, this type of rental situation may be of greater interest to you. About Rex Brasher Rex Brasher's story is inspiring and heartbreaking. He was born in 1869. At the age of eight, he set a seemingly impossible goal to paint every bird species in North America in its natural habitat. By age fifty, he had created 874 paintings representing over 1,200 species, 3,300 figures of male, female, and young birds several times over until the final paintings met his satisfaction. Eager to share his work more broadly, Rex set out to publish his paintings in a series of books that could be widely distributed. Not satisfied with commercial printing techniques of the day, Rex commisioned grayscale collotype prints, which he then colored by hand. From 1929 to 1933, Rex individually hand-colored and bound 87,400 prints into 100 twelve-volume sets, titled Birds and Trees of North America. Rex's illustrations were accompanied by descriptions that flit between scientific fact and lyrical poetry for each bird. Rex Brasher completed this monumental task on the property you are reading about in this listing. He named this beautiful place "Chickadee Valley". The property is comprised of 116 acres of pristine woodland and three historically-significant buildings, and was entrusted to the care of the Rex Brasher Association upon Deborah Brasher's death in 2021. Our long-term goals are to ensure that the property is accessible to the public, create scientific and artistic programming, and build a "tiny museum" where the work of Rex Brasher and other artists can be viewed. In 2022, with a refreshed board and a renewed focus on the mission of the organization, the RBA completely revamped its business plan, hired a renowned design firm to create the visual identity for Rex Brasher, and hosted a large-scale benefit at historic Troutbeck. We also began a student intership program to begin digitizing nearly 3,000 pages of the twelve-volume set of Birds and Trees of North America, making it accessible to the public via a new website. We are actively raising funds through grants, private donors, and foundations as we lay the groundwork for this important conservation and preservation work. Board Members Because the RBA is a non-profit organization, it is required to have a governing body referred to as "board of directors". These are unpaid volunteer positions, with each board member making generous donations of time, money, and professional expertise. There are three elected positions for this board: president, treasurer, secretary. All matters are voted upon (strategic planning, funding, partnerships, etc) and require majority rule for the vote to be approved. Your main point of contact during the duration of your lease will be Matthew Schnepf. He is a licensed architect and is chair of the building committee. He is prompt, knowledgeable, and professional and is responsible for all architectural and property rental matters for the RBA. Other board members will assist Matthew, but he will remain your main point of contact for clarity and consistency. President: Cynthia Carter Ayres Treasurer: Matthew Schnepf Secretary: Munawar Ahmed Board Member: Gaye Parise Board Member: Janet Reagon Board Member: Bob Meade Visitors We anticipate that the property and site of the proposed museum will have some visitors for the next twelve months. Visitors will include board members, donors, foundations, land trusts, ecologists, naturalists, archivists, journalists, writers, artists, contractors, and cleaners. Many of these visitors will be high-profile partners and journalists, such as our recent visit from world-renowned journalists Philip Kennicott and Zoeann Murphy of The Washington Post. The exterior of the three buildings must be free of any and all personal items at all times. Your vehicle(s) must be parked in designated parking spots only. Any pets must be kept at bay and not be a nuisance to visitors (excessive barking, jumping, running, etc). Events We are actively developing partnerships, collaborations, and events with the National Audubon Society, Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy, White Memorial Conservation Center, Cary Institute, Hudsonia, Manitoga, Troutbeck, and other organizations. We anticipate events will happen throughout the year, weather permitting. All funds raised from these events go directly toward funding our non-profit organization and mission. Events will be conscientiously organized and you will be given advanced warning. Event attendees will be high-profile guests and will be respectful of boundaries. Guest parking will be orderly and permitted in designated areas only. Construction We anticipate ongoing cleanout and construction in the site of the new museum for the next twelve months. The construction dumpster will be moved away from the cottage and placed closer to where debris removal and construction is taking place. The construction dumpster is not for your personal use. Monthly Rent Rent is due on the first of each month via online payment link. No checks, no cash. Late payment will not be tolerated. Security Deposit Security deposit is due upon lease signing via online payment link. No checks, no cash. Security deposit will be returned in full at end of lease term if there is no damage to the rental property. Renter's Insurance Tenants will be required to obtain and show proof of renter's insurance for the duration of the lease. Pets Pets are permitted but must be extremely well-behaved and not a nuisance to neighbors or visitors. Pets should be well-trained and should not cause damage to the property interior with claws, urine, or feces. This will make the property uninhabitable for future tenants. Poorly behaved pets will not be tolerated. Heating The primary heat source for the cottage is the gas fireplace in the living room. Electrical baseboard heating is available throughout the house as supplemental heat. Propane The tenant will be responsible for propane costs for heat and hot water in the cottage. The RBA has hired a propane service and will maintain reasonable levels of propane in the tank at all times, especially during high-usage months. The RBA will calculate costs based on propane meter reading and provide monthly bill to tenant. Payment is due on the first of each month via online payment link. No checks, no cash. Electrical The tenant will be responsible for electrical costs in the cottage. Tenant will set up their own electrical account. Generator The RBA will maintain the existing generator, which provides emergency electricity to the cottage when needed. Water The RBA will provide water from an on-site well. There will be no additional charge for water service. The well will be maintained by the RBA and quality of clean drinking water will be periodically tested by a professional service. Trash Service The tenant will be responsible for initial setup and monthly payment for trash and recycling services. Welsh Sanitation provides trash services at this address. Trash and recycling containers should be placed at the end of Brasher Road (at Bog Hollow Road) on trash collection days (currently Mondays). Internet The tenant will be responsible for initial setup and monthly payments for internet, telephone, and television services in the cottage. Optimum services are on site. Pest Control The tenant will be responsible for ensuring the cleanliness of the interior space and carefully placing all food into tightly-sealed containers that cannot be penetrated by animals, rodents, and insects. Human food and pet food should never be left out. The original structure of the cottage was built in the 1800s. The cottage is rustic and located in the woods. The RBA is not responsible for animals, rodents, and insects found inside the cottage. If this makes you uncomfortable, this cottage is not for you. Snow Removal The RBA will be responsible for snow removal on the shared driveway during the winter months. A professional and reliable service will be hired for this work. There will be no additional charge to the tenant for snow removal on the shared driveway. The tenant will be responsible for removing snow from the cottage porch and in the area immediately in front of the garage door. Lawncare The RBA will be responsible for mowing and lawn care in the area around all three buildings on the property. A professional and reliable service will be hired for this work. There will be no additional charge to the tenant for lawn care. Cottage Exterior Tenants are required to keep the exterior of the cottage clear of any and all personal items due to the nature of events and high-profile visitors at the property. Two small chairs and one small table will be approved by the RBA and permitted on the cottage porch. These items will be tasteful and architecturally appropriate to the property. These are the only items permitted on the cottage porch.