Creative Craftsmanship: 3rd Generation Builders Blends Tradition with Modern Design
Presented by 3rd Generation Builders | Fall 2024 | Home Improvement
Mike Fanelli’s family album includes photos of him using a chop saw when he was only 10 years old. That’s the kind of skill you learn early on when your father and grandfather are in the trade. At 13 he helped construct the log cabin home his family built from the ground up.
“I was old enough to have a really good hands-on experience and it just stuck with me,” says Fanelli. “I was amazed by all the creativity that goes into it, so I decided to start my own company.”
In 1999, at the age of 23, he honored the family legacy by founding 3rd Generation Builders, which initially specialized in log cabins and timber frame homes. The construction company grew over the years, but after the ‘08 financial crisis, Fanelli decided to expand their services into all facets of construction. Challenging times offered the opportunity to employ tried-and-true skills in new and exciting ways.
These three stunning homes that 3rd Generation Builders constructed in collaboration with Kalesis Design Studio and Barry Price Architecture are a marriage of contemporary architecture and traditional craftsmanship.
“We’re doing a lot of high-end contemporary homes now, which I love to do,” says Fanelli. “But I still love that traditional log home feel.”
Prime examples are the Woodstock, Saugerties, and Hunter homes that 3rd Generation Builders constructed in collaboration with Kalesis Design Studio and Barry Price Architecture. The interiors feature beautiful, contrasting hues and textures from the juxtaposition of wood (often milled on the property from trees cleared for the homes), stone, and other materials, while picture windows that capture the light enhance these stunning spaces.
“It’s been an inspiring journey to work with such a variety of contrasting materials and construction techniques at the forefront of building design and science,” Fanelli says.
The Lake Katrine-based company has earned acclaim for the craftsmanship employed in recent work, which includes private estates, passive certified homes, popular restaurants such as Medo in Woodstock, and wooded hideaways. Fanelli believes that passion and a commitment to excellence drive success for both his team and 3rd Generation’s clients.
“What I like to make sure of is that everybody is here because they love the craft,” he says. “They love to build and there’s something about it that resonates with them. I want to make sure that it’s about what you love first because that is always the start and end of everything good.”
About the Builder
Mike Fanelli
3rd Generation Builders, Lake Katrine
3rdgenerationbuilders.com
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