New Canaan for Sale

New Canaan’s architecture establishes the town as somewhat unique. Modern construction styles and building materials introduced by The Harvard Five and Frank Lloyd Wright began an approach to modern design that continues to evoke original contemporary neighborhoods.

Considered part of Connecticut’s Gold Coast, New Canaan is the only town not on the coast but, situated just north of Darien and Norwalk, offers one of the richest communities and best school districts in the country. It is family-focused with many parks and downtown shops and restaurants that create a bustling community, just a one-hour drive from Manhattan (less by train), or 30 minutes or less from the coastal shores.

New Canaan is represented by most major banks and some hedge funds but is the only town with a direct train link to the east-west Amtrak routes to allow for easy transit to larger financial districts.

 Population 20,276

 Schools:

Elementary: East Elementary School, South Elementary School, and West Elementary School

Middle Schools: Saxe Middle School

High School: New Canaan High School

Number of Preschools: 12

Number of Private Schools: 3

 Library: New Canaan Library

 Public Recreation: New Canaan Racquet Club, Colonnade Tennis Club, Waveny Park, Mead Park, YMCA.

Private Clubs: The Country Club of New Canaan, The Lake Club.

Attractions:

Waveny Castle

The Glass House

Silvermine Arts Center

 Family-Focused events featured annually:

Easter Egg Hunt, Saint Mark’s May Fair, Family Fourth Fireworks, New Canaan Nature Center Fall Fair, All Hallows Eve (Halloween) Parade, Holiday Stroll, Christmas Caroling on God’s Acre

 Neighborhoods: New Canaan Town Center, Talmadge Hill, Ponus Ridge, West, Oenoke Ridge, Smith Ridge, and part of Silvermine.

 

New Canaan, CT in Greater Detail

 

This family-oriented town features events for most major holidays including a carol sing at Christmas. A scenic drive highlights the works of some of the finest modernist architecture in the country. And the centralized outdoor community offered at Waveny Park rivals Central Park in NYC. Dining and shopping are the final factors that attract both families and artists to New Canaan.

 

History

New Canaan developed a community around a Parish and didn’t develop a town center until many years later. That town center is now a major focus for family, fine dining, and shopping. The famous Waveny House was built by a Texaco oil mogul, Lewis Lapham, forms a second central point of interest for the town. Artists have been drawn to the area since the late 1800s when John Rogers sculpted in his studio and an artist’s guild was born. More recent history has added the artistic attraction to New Canaan with the modern architecture of The Harvard Five and Frank Lloyd Wright, among others.

 

Transportation

A higher than the national average amount of people work from home. Those who do travel tend to take transit due to longer travel times. Canaan is the only city with a north-south rail line connecting to the east-west Amtrak line. The city is also served at the south end by the Merritt Parkway and Highway I95 is not far away.

 

Employment

Major banks, many wealth management firms, and several hedge funds are managed here. Management, finance, and sales employ a majority of the population, but many entrepreneurs thrive here, too. New Canaan is also an artistic community with a higher concentration of artists than over 90% of other communities in the United States.

Education

New Canaan offers top-ranked public schools in both studies and extra-curricular activities. It also offers three private schools: St. Aloysius; St. Luke’s School; and, New Canaan Country School. A nature-based preschool at the New Canaan Nature Center offers a unique opportunity as well.

While there are no colleges or universities in the town, New Canaan has access to over 50 post-secondary schools within a one-hour drive.

 

New Canaan Recreational Activities and Parks

Notable Attractions

Waveny Park is a central focus of the town. Over 300 acres are dedicated to a variety of community facilities including an outdoor pool, tennis courts, baseball fields, play structures, and picnic area, as well as Spencer’s Run Dog Park.  A Conservancy partnership with the town ensures the longevity of the park for generations. Projects like formal gardens, forest management with groomed walking trails, and pond restoration create a beautiful 130-acre space surrounding the public recreation features.

Waveny Castle, operated by the town, offers a step back in time for weddings and special events. The land also hosts the local high school, PowerHouse Performing Arts Center, The Carriage Barn, Waveny Lodge, and a community center.

Silvermine Art Center – A focal point of the art community in New Canaan since the early 1900s, the center offers a gallery, a school, and an artist’s guild. There is a strong artistic presence in the town.

Grace Farms – Featuring the River Building, designed by SANAA, Grace Farms hosts events and fosters initiatives to experience nature, encounter the arts, pursue justice, foster community, and explore faith.

The Glass House – National Trust for Historic Preservation – Designed and lived in for decades by famed architect Philip Johnson. The house, grounds and other structures have been preserved as Johnson lived in and used them.

Entertainment

With art and family at its core, there is always something happening in New Canaan. Galleries feature local and visiting artists, including Silvermine, New Canaan Historical Society and Museum, Carriage Barn, and Sorelle Gallery.

Theater life is also alive at Bow Tie Cinemas New Canaan Playhouse, Summer Theatre of New Canaan, Powerhouse Theatre, outdoor shows at Waveny Summer Concert Series, and instructional theater at The Studio for Performing Arts.

Don’t forget the drive to view landmark sites with a mix of historic and contemporary buildings like Hampton Inn, Hanford Davenport House, John Rogers Studio, Landis Gores House, Philip Johnson Glass House, Richard, and Geraldine Hodgson House, and Grace Farms River Building.

 

Parks and Recreation

Two outdoor tennis facilities are offered at Mead Park and Waveny Park. Waveny also boasts an outdoor pool and a variety of outdoor activities. Other recreation areas offer baseball, trails, picnic areas, and lakefront swimming at Millpond, Mead, Irwin, Ed Dixon Memorial, and Kiwanis Parks. The Bristow Bird Sanctuary also provides beautiful walking trails.

Private clubs offering golf, racquet sports, and swimming include The Country Club of New Canaan and The Lake Club.

Offering the arts, culture, fine dining, and shopping blended with nature and family New Canaan matches its reputation as one of the top destinations in Connecticut.