No one will be happier to see the historic Bear Mountain Inn in Harriman State Park re-open than its executive director, Jim Hall.
A lack of funding delayed the much-needed renovations to the stone building, owned by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. PIPC operates the state parks in the Palisades region, which runs from Kingston to the New Jersey border.
Hall said the inn received the $2.9 million from the state to complete the first floor and renovate the second floor, where its banquet hall, meeting rooms and public space were once filled to the brim with guests enjoying its rustic ambience year-round.
Guest Services of Fairfax, Va., won the contract to operate both the Overlook Lodge and the Bear Mountain Inn two years ago. It has substantially completed the first floor of the inn, but the delay in state funding has kept it closed. Hall now expects he will have the first floor renovation and space available to the public by the end of 2010.
While the Overlook Lodge has undergone extensive renovations and is open for business and catering events, many are waiting for the inn to re-open.
“It won”™t be long,” said Hall, “now that the funding is in place.” Guest Services, awarded the 20-year contract to run both premises, put $1.5 million into the renovation of Overlook Lodge and $1.5 million into the renovation at Bear Mountain Inn. The company and the PIPC will work in tandem to complete the renovations.
“The first floor of the inn is substantially completed, and now that we have received the funding, we can start moving on this project. The renovation to the 14 guest rooms on the third floor will be done by Guest Services, and the state will renovate the second floor. We”™re aiming for a mid-2011 re-opening.”
Hall says his office is fielding phone calls for information about events, meeting space and guest rooms. “People really miss the Bear Mountain Inn. It”™s a great location and is very popular, but the state”™s financial condition held up the funds for renovations. Now that it has been resolved, we expect to award bids within a few weeks in partnership with Guest Services and get started on the makeover as quickly as possible.”
