COVER STORY, OCTOBER 2007

HOSPITALITY GETS CREATIVE
Hotel developers are bringing unique projects to the market.
Brianne Gloski

The Northeastern hospitality market is witnessing a wide variety of projects taking shape. Some hotels are getting facelifts to answer greater guest demands for better amenities, while other hotels are entering the market for the first time. However, each of these hotels has one simple goal: to provide an enjoyable hospitality experience that will get guests to come back for more.

The Equinox

The Equinox in Manchester Village, Vermont, has been serving and housing guests since 1769.

The Equinox in Manchester Village, Vermont, has been on the map for travelers since 1769, when one of the region’s first lodgings was erected on the site. The wooden, two-story Marsh Tavern is considered the forerunner to today’s luxury hotel and can still be seen and enjoyed by visitors — the structure serves as a restaurant for the hotel. This property has witnessed some of the most volatile events in U.S. history, serving as a popular gathering spot for locals, many of whom would become memorable figures during the  American Revolution, including the legendary “Green Mountain Boys,” according to Courtney Lowe, general manager of The Equinox. “The Marsh Tavern was also the first Tory [British loyalists] property to be seized by revolutionaries to support their war efforts.”

In 1780, the property got an upgrade; new owner, Thaddeus Munson added a new inn next door to the Tavern.

The hotel’s current name was first uttered in 1853 when owner Franklin Orvis opened his own hotel, the Equinox House, in his father’s home next to the Marsh Tavern. “More than six of the subsequent owners modified the resort structurally and architecturally over the next two centuries, resulting in 17 major architectural changes in six distinct styles,” says Lowe.

Renovation of The Equinox, which is the second longest operating hotel in the United States, continued in 2002 with the addition of the Rockwell Room, a state-of-the-art, multi-function meeting space. And, in January 2003, the resort completed the Spa at The Equinox that reflects “the transcendent beauty and nature of Vermont’s pristine environment in both its treatments and the spa’s décor,” Lowe says.

This past March, HEI Hotels & Resorts in Norwalk, Connecticut, acquired the historic property and, in January 2008, will begin a multi-million dollar renovation of the resort with the assistance of designer Geoffrey Bradfield. The Equinox, located on 1,300 acres, features The Equinox Hotel Charles Orvis Inn, the 13,000-square-foot Spa at The Equinox, several food and beverage outlets including the Marsh Tavern and Dormy Grill, tennis courts, a golf course, a clubhouse, the 12,000-acre Equinox Preservation area, an off-road driving school, the British School of Falconry and archery classes. Together with the Charles Orvis Inn, The Equinox consists of 183 guest rooms including 29 suites.

Bradfield has looked to the Swiss sculptor Diego Giacometti as inspiration for the registered historic landmark’s design. “In recognition of the historical significance of the property, Bradfield pays homage to Giacometti’s sophisticated aesthetic which, when fused with Bradfield’s innovative design concept, captures the energy and youth of the 21st century,” Lowe says. As part of the renovation, the rooms and suites will be updated to mirror the elegance and five-star quality of the resort and bring the property into this century, according to Lowe. The room renovations will be staggered and areas under refurbishment will be contained to provide little interruption and stress for the resort’s current guests. The owners also hope to revive local and regional patronage at the resort with the renovations, new restaurants, expansion and redesign. Completion of the first phase is scheduled for spring 2008.

“The refurbishment will bring the 200-year-old classic American hotel up to date by adding a modern redesign that resorts typically have not done,” Lowe says. “The ‘new’ Equinox will synergize the best of the historic setting and property with the needs of a contemporary, urban traveler creating a stylish, sophisticated retreat in an authentic country setting.”

Riverhead Resorts 

Riverhead Resorts, in Riverhead New York.

Long Island, New York’s entertainment and resort draw will be stepped up a notch when the $500 million Riverhead Resorts in Riverhead is completed. Located on the EPCAL site on the former Grumman industrial property and airfield, the 3.8 million-square-foot project will feature a 92-acre man-made lake feature at its center, the 350’ Riverhead Mountain indoor ski, snowboarding and ice activity center; Water Adventure with lush indoor aqua-tecture; an equestrian center with extensive trails for on- and off-site access; a Rejuvenation Spa centered around botanical gardens; a wilderness resort extending outdoor and camping opportunities; a Sports Lifestyle Resort offering individual and team recreational and competitive experiences; a Heritage and Entertainment Resort featuring a seaport setting with a local farmers market and farm museum; and a Conference Resort with a 100,000-square-foot exposition hall for product and trade shows as well as special interest conferences. Land and water transportation services will be interwoven throughout the resort, and linking off-site multimodal transportation opportunities will be available as well, according to John Niven, the principal of New York City-based Riverhead Resorts LLC.

A joint venture between Riverhead Resorts LLC and Bayrock Group LLC, the multiple-themed destination rests on a 755-acre site. “Riverhead Resorts was conceived in response to a Town of Riverhead solicitation for development of a recreational destination on the 755-acre EPCAL property,” says Niven. “The EPCAL site was designated both by the federal government in its Re-Use Plan and zoned by Riverhead Town for recreational development.”

The developers teamed with architects LEDO International Inc., HOK and HOK Sport, and EDAW/AECOM to design the former U.S. Navy property in hopes of making it entirely LEED certified. The resort’s 2,053 timeshares have been conceived to encourage extended guest stays throughout all four seasons. Jody Kriss, vice president of Bayrock Group, predicts that the resort’s attractions will draw 1.2 million to 1.8 million annual visits. “We are absolutely convinced of the underlying market demand for Riverhead Resorts,” states Kriss. “Long Island is ripe to profit from the 50 million annual visitors to the New York City region.”

Riverhead Resorts will also focus on the preservation of 290 acres of environmentally sensitive tiger salamander habitat, pine barren ecosystems and wetlands. “The development and design approach is focused on creating the greatest sustainable economic impact while minimizing potential environmental impacts on and off site,” says Niven.

Another unique aspect of the site is the runway that Grumman used for its test airfield. Riverhead Resorts will reuse the demolition debris from the runway as well as the sediments and aggregates removed during construction to complete the on-site grading and add the contours to the indoor ski mountain.

The sustainable development’s proposed farmers market and museum will reflect the agricultural history of the Riverhead community, and the more than 2,200 full-time jobs within the project will integrate local educational and vocational opportunities.

The developers of Riverhead Resorts are optimistic about the project’s success and hope that it will be well received in the Long Island community. According to Niven, they wanted “to create this world-class, multi-themed resort destination that would promote and respect the unique environment of the setting and create a unique destination in the most innovative, environmentally sensitive approach possible.”

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