Groton Inn Property Sold to Investor Group; Luxury Four-Star Inn With 20-25 Rooms, Cottage Suites, Residential Rentals Planned
A 'new' Groton Inn concept plan, one that has as its the goal to create an historically accurate structure, will be shared with Groton voters for their approval at the fall Town Meeting on October 21st. Plans for the development of the former Groton Inn site are quickly evolving, as two key members of the 125 Main Street Investment Group LLC are in the process of preparing a detailed plan for the highly visible site.
With a signed Purchase and Sales Agreement with Groton Inn property owner George Pergantis in hand, the investment group principals, Chris Ferris, General Manager of the Eastern Point Yacht Club in Gloucester, MA and Rich Cooper, manager of the Bluefish Property Group LLC, have outlined their plans for several town boards.
Cooper of Marblehead, MA, specializes in historical real estate development. His property group renovated the Marblehead Inn, among other historic properties in the North Shore area. Ferris is a 28-year veteran in the hospitality business. Together they have solid vision of what they see as the future for this important Groton site.
To date, Ferris and Cooper are looking at the construction of a twenty to twenty-five room luxury four-star inn on the eight-acre site is that will be as accurate as possible to the original antique Inn structure, having a slightly larger footprint. The plan also includes an area in that building that will serve crafted beer and specialty wines along with locally grown fare.
Behind the new Inn, the group plans to construct eight 600 to 800 foot cottage suites with gable fronts and colonial architecture designed to take advantage of the Gibbet Hill view shed. On the right hand side of the property, there will be twelve free-standing units consisting of 1300 to 1600 square feet, containing one to two bedrooms. These will be available for long-term residential rentals with twenty percent of these units identified as affordable.
According to Ferris, the two existing apartment buildings and the carriage house to the rear of the property will be razed and a new Carriage House will be constructed that will be used for events, art exhibits, meetings, and auctions and other public uses. There will also be public access to a patio area to enjoy the view of Gibbet Hill.
Ferris stressed, "We want this effort to have a collegial feel as we will be part of the community", adding that he plans to talk with residents and hold meetings to explain their plans and answer questions.
Exactly two years ago to the day of this announcement, the date was August 2, 2011 to be exact, - the Historic Groton Inn suffered a devastating six-alarm fire leaving skeletal remains of a structure that was reportedly one of the oldest continuously operating Inns in the country, and that in its early years served as a major stage coach stop for travelers from Boston to Keene NH.
Residents were in shock when they awoke to find one of the historic centerpieces on Groton's beautiful Main Street - gone - and the remaining portion of the building's front deemed unsafe. For weeks and weeks, everyone was talking about the significant loss to the town, a structure that was really a focal point to so many and speculating on the future of the highly visible property.
Two years later this announcement was made that the property will change ownership very soon, and residents will have the opportunity to look at and hear about the plans for the 'new' Groton Inn site before it is presented for voter action at Fall Town Meeting.
