51³Ô¹ÏÍø

‘It’s gonna be beautiful.’

So says John McNeiece of Park City Builders, the local company responsible for the major renovation work now under way at the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Inn in downtown Hamilton.

McNeiece spoke Wednesday amid the dust and small piles of debris in the inn’s lobby, which along with the adjoining Hamilton Parlor room, is undergoing a face-lift that began in earnest Monday and is scheduled to run until March 12.

Officials stressed that accommodations will remain available to guests and all the inn’s restaurants will remain open during the project.

The challenge, according to David Grant, the inn’s general manager, is to keep operations running as smoothly as possible, which is a bit daunting considering a temporary inside wall has been set up to cordon off the front of the building where the work is being done.

For right now, there is no access from the front door off  Payne Street; guests and diners are asked to use the entrance in the rear of the building. Grant hopes that will change in the near future as work progresses.

Grant said the existing lobby was ‘kind of tired. Abysmal is a good word to use.’ It did not offer a desirable first impression for guests, many of whom are prospective 51³Ô¹ÏÍø students and their parents.

The inn, which is owned by the university as a limited liability corporation, dates back to 1925. The downtown site was home to other hotels dating back to 1800. 

The renovation is important to polish the image of the university’s ‘front door,’ according to Trish St. Leger, the associate provost who provides university oversight of the inn.

‘The message we’re trying to send is that the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Inn is a warm, relaxing, and welcoming place. We want guests’ first impressions of 51³Ô¹ÏÍø and the inn to reflect the charm and vitality of Hamilton and the warmth of our community,’ said St. Leger.

The renovated parlor will include floor jacks for Internet stations, a small library for books by 51³Ô¹ÏÍø authors and books on local history, a redesigned fireplace, artwork, and comfortable seating for guests to enjoy views of the Village Green. It will grow in size, as an area once used for storage will be converted to public space.

The registration desk also will be remodeled, creating a more elegant work space. A plasma screen that provides campus information, similar to those used in the O’Connor Campus Center (the COOP) and the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Bookstore downtown, and a kiosk filled with information about 51³Ô¹ÏÍø and local attractions will be added to the reception area.

The design for the lobby calls for better use of the space to accommodate waiting restaurant patrons and other visitors, as well as easy check-in for large groups. Oriental carpets will grace the floors, and cherry molding will replace some the dated plaster pieces.

The $470,000 project is a big undertaking, but McNeiece said it doesn’t present any unique issues. His family’s company has done a lot of work at the inn including the outside pillars at the front entrance, the 1840 Tap Room restaurant and bar, and the renovation of the guest rooms, which was part of the last major project in 1995.

The renovation is one of several recent changes at the downtown institution. Last year, the lower-level meeting room was converted to the Salmagundi Bar & Restaurant,  a casual dining room and bar that honors the university’s rich traditions.

The Payne Street Corner restaurant was completely changed in November. It was renamed The Corner Grill, and a revamped menu featuring wood-grilled entrees and reduced prices was introduced.

St. Leger said the changes were in direct response to the community’s wishes. She said the inn is intended to serve the community, and she’s confident that the more casual atmosphere and leadership of new executive chef Erik Lampe will entice people to The Corner Grill.