Travaasa Berkshire County's plan preserves and protects a beloved historic property, respects community character, conserves open space and contributes to the hospitality culture of the region. A tasteful, responsible commercial use of this property by a financially healthy organization will revive a dormant estate, create living-wage hospitality jobs at all skill levels and maintain the property on town tax rolls.
The Basics
- Renovate and preserve the current mansion as main element on property.
- Tuck a visually cohesive new wing down the hill and into the woods.
- Protect views for abutters, from the mansion, from the Stockbridge Bowl and around the property.
- Create a single structure that is shorter, smaller, connected to, and behind the mansion.
What about traffic?
Concerns have been voiced about safety and traffic on Old Stockbridge Road. The peer-reviewed traffic study shows this project will not create undue traffic congestion or unduly impair pedestrian safety compared with current conditions. It should also be noted that the traffic study was conducted based on 100% year-round occupancy, whereas the projected occupancy rate for Travaasa Berkshire County is 55–65%.
To benefit visitors and neighbors, Travaasa is committed to building a one-mile long sidewalk from the property to Hawthorne Street, effectively creating a pedestrian path into Lenox (subject to local permits from the Town of Lenox and support from the neighborhood).
Character of the neighborhood
While a concern has arisen about the project’s potential impact on the character of the neighborhood, in fact, the plans incorporate great care and expense to preserve this character. By working diligently to preserve the mansion as the main element of the property, through tucking the new wing into trees, we've ensured it cannot be seen from Old Stockbridge Road or the Stockbridge Bowl. The plans also incorporate the entire project into one structure, preserving the vast majority of the existing open space.