East Lyon Farm Condo Association
 
 
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About Us
 
 
 

East Lyon Farm
 
East Lyon Farm in Greenwich Connecticut is a condominium association of 37 free-standing houses, each with an adjacent 2-car garage.  The luxury-style units are arranged in clusters on a beautiful 22-acre property characterized by open spaces, mature landscaping, seven ponds and many lovely, old, rambling stone walls.
 
History
 
The land underlying East and West Lyon Farm was part of a parcel of land acquired by Thomas Lyon in the mid-1600's. It was operated as a farm by members of the Lyon family until the late 1960's.  Prior to John Lyon's death in 1969, the farm primarily raised Black Angus cattle, although according to a participant in the Greenwich Oral History project, the land east of Weaver Street was also used for growing potatoes.  Evidently, John Lyon didn't believe in tractors and used only horses and oxen.  Some of the equipment used to farm the land is scattered around what are now East and West Lyon Farm, providing a link to their historic pasts.
 
In the early 1970's, Arthur Collins and his partners acquired approximately 140 acres which were part of the Lyon family farm.  Approximately 50 acres were east of Weaver Street and about 90 acres west of Weaver Street.  Of the 50 acres east of Weaver Street, approximately 28 were sold as housing lots of various sizes and 22 acres became East Lyon Farm and the recreational facilities on the east side. Of the approximate 90 acres west of Weaver Street, 36 were given to the Town of Greenwich and were designated as open land as part of the the re-zoning plan that permitted the development and construction of East and West Lyon Farm.  That 36 acre parcel is part of what is now Pemberwick Park.  The remaining 54 acres became West Lyon Farm and the recreational facilities on the west side.
 
Both East and West Lyon Farm were developed to preserve "the personality of the land".  The units were grouped in cluster arrangements evocative of farm villages and were situated to preserve the existing stone walls and large trees on the farm property.  The units themselves were designed to be reminiscent of New England salt boxes.  Both the existing East and West Barns predated the condominium development , although many changes have been made to adapt them from barns to recreational and office spaces.  The East Barn served as the sales office for both the first-built East side and then for the West side.
 
The Lyon Farm development was recognized with the Honor Design Award from the Connecticut Society of Architects as "an example of land use that conserves large areas of open space". Lyon Farm was also awarded House and Home magazine's Award of Merit in its Homes for Better Living Program, as well as the first Architectural Award from the Greenwich Arts Council.
 
THe Joseph Lyon House on Weaver Street, which is about 200 yards from the entrance to West Lyon Farm, was part of the farm but not part of the Collins purchase.   The Joseph Lyon House has been designated as part of the Greenwich Landmark Series by the Greenwich Historical Society.  For more about the Joseph Lyon House, click here.
 
Many thanks to West Lyon Farm and the Greenwich Oral History project for much of the information contained in this section.
 
East and West Lyon Farm
 
East and West Lyon Farm are two separate but related condominium associations. Both condominiums were part of a common vision and were built by the same developer.  The owners of East Lyon Farm and West Lyon Farm jointly own and operate the recreational facilities on both sides through Lyon Farm Residents Association.
 
Administration of East Lyon Farm
 
There are three independent organizations which govern the operations of East Lyon Farm.
  • Lyon Farm Condominium East, Inc. is the organization of East Lyon Farm unit owners which together with the Lyon Farm Tax District provides management and services to East Lyon Farm.
  • Lyon Farm Tax District is an organization which provides certain municipal services to East Lyon Farm which the Town of Greenwich would normally provide such as road repair, street lighting, and pond management.
  • Lyon Farm Residents Association (LFRA) is an association of unit owners of East Lyon Farm and West Lyon Farm formed to jointly own and operate the recreational, cultural and social facilities that are also shared jointly by the unit owners of East and West Lyon Farms.  Facilities to be enjoyed by LFRA members and their guests are the East and West Barns, East and West swimming pools, an outdoor gas grill, two tennis courts, an artificial putting green and a playground area.   LFRA has its own Board of Directors comprised of seven members from West Lyon Farm and two members from East Lyon Farm.