Happy New Year from Millbrook Community Partnership!
12/16/2025
MILLBROOK – Plans to renovate the historic Thorne Building on Franklin Avenue, built in the 1890s, into a community center moved forward Monday, Dec. 8, as the Millbrook Planning Board accepted an application for the project, which is scheduled for review early next year.
11/26/2025
Millbrook Community Partnership (MCP) is delighted to share that we have submitted the site plan for The Thorne Center to the Village of Millbrook Planning Board for review and approval. This submission marks another key milestone of this exciting community project, transforming the iconic Thorne Building into the new Thorne Center.
We wanted to be sure and communicate this positive development, and to also share how we anticipate the process to unfold, since community involvement is important to us every step of the way.
Here’s what will likely happen:
• While not yet confirmed, we expect that our submission will be included on the December 8th Planning Board Meeting agenda.
• At the December 8th meeting Sloan Architects will present an overview of the Thorne Center site plan and answer questions from the Planning Board. The Planning Board will also circulate the submitted information package to government agencies - NYSDOT and Dutchess County Planning - for comment.
• Please note: This first meeting is for Planning Board discussion only—there won’t be an opportunity for public questions or comments yet.
• We expect that MCP and Sloan Architects will be asked to return to the January planning board meeting to continue the conversation. Once agency feedback is received, the Board will schedule a Public Hearing, where the community will have the chance to share thoughts, ask questions, and provide feedback.
• When the Public Hearing date has been set, MCP will circulate the date and information widely.
Again, the breakdown above is just speculative and we will update accordingly. MCP deeply values the voices of our neighbors and believes this project should reflect the needs and hopes of the Millbrook community.
Our Mission:
The Thorne Center is dedicated to creating a vibrant, inclusive space that serves as a hub for arts, culture, education, and community connection. Our goal is to honor Millbrook’s history while providing opportunities for engagement, learning, and fun for generations to come.
For questions or updates, feel free to contact Krista Fragos: [email protected]
Thank you for your interest and support as we work together to shape the future of the Thorne Center!
10/20/2025
08/28/2025
Millbrook Community Partnership is delighted to host the grand opening of Bennett Park on Sunday, October 5.
We are delighted to announce the grand opening of Bennett Park on Sunday, October 5th, 2-5pm. All are welcome to attend and enjoy!
06/13/2025
On Sunday, June 29 at 4 PM, something truly special is happening in Millbrook!
GRAMMY-winning countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo— recently appointed President and General Director of Opera Philadelphia—joins Met Opera Assistant Conductor and pianist Bryan Wagorn for an intimate concert at the Thorne Center, a historic space on the cusp of cultural transformation.
The program will span centuries and genres: from Handel’s baroque brilliance and Philip Glass’s hypnotic minimalism, to Liszt’s expressive sound and beloved jazz standards—a dynamic journey in a venue rich with potential.
Presented by Millbrook Music Salon in partnership with the Millbrook Community Partnership, this concert offers a rare chance to experience world-class artistry up close, and to imagine the future of the Thorne Center as a vibrant cultural hub at the heart of our community.
Here is the link to purchase tickets through the Millbrook Music Salon: https://www.millbrookmusicsalon.org/event-roth-costanzo-bryan-wagorn?blm_aid=14643
04/16/2025
Happy Spring from the Thorne Center!
12/26/2024
Sending warm holiday wishes from the Millbrook Community Partnership!
10/02/2024
Please stop by J. McLaughlin this Saturday 10/5 from 5-7pm. A generous portion of all sales will support the Thorne Center.
09/21/2024
Stop by today for a free souvenir postcard and a peek at the building!
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MILLBROOK, NY, June 28th – Mayor Rod Brown and a group of concerned local citizens today announced the formation of a Thorne Building Planning Committee tasked with developing a proposal that would transfer the Thorne Memorial Building, a dominant architectural feature of the Village, to a new non-profit corporation for use as a community center.
The members of the Thorne Building Planning Committee were appointed by the Board of the 501c3, a non-profit entity called The Thorne Building Community Center. The TBCC was funded by a grant of $100,000 from The Millbrook Tribute Garden.
The workshops were stimulated by concern among some residents about the cost to the Village of maintaining the three-story former school building (which is owned by the Village and was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996), and a desire by others to see the building renovated and put to a good community use.
The committee will be tasked with developing a plan for a) the best uses of the building for the greater Millbrook community, b) the costs of renovation to meet those uses, and c) fundraising to support the renovation and operation of the facility.
The committee includes local arts groups, businesses, educators, senior citizens, clergy, philanthropic organizations, elected officials from the Village of Millbrook, and elected officials from the Town of Washington. It will be chaired by Charles E. Pierce Jr., formerly director of the Morgan Library and Museum, in New York City, and a long-time area resident.
