N.Y.'s Larkfield Manor: Debating closing down during renovations

Abstract

While brides and other event customers may worry about the construction timeline, "they often will go to contract anyway," said Michael Lessing, COO of Lessing's, a Great River-based hospitality company. In November, Lessing's plans to begin work at Stonebridge Country Club in Smithtown, a renovation that will expand the ballroom by 2,300 square feet, increasing seating capacity to 325 people.

The former Larkfield Manor reopened late last month after an $8 million renovation that recast the wedding venue as a Tuscan villa called The Larkfield.

The project not only necessitated the name change - "There are no manors in Tuscany," said Vice President George Mountanos - but also shut down the popular hall for eight months.

"It was tired, and we did some renovations over the years, but we saw more were needed and that we had to consider a new building," Mountanos said, noting that it would have been impossible to remain open during construction.

Closing for an extended period, however, is tricky business for catering halls and other venues in the uber-competitive hospitality industry.

"When closing, there is not just lost revenue and the cost of renovations," said Kurt Bohlsen, co-owner of the Islip-based Bohlsen Restaurant Group. "You have to deal with the logistics of keeping employees, paying rent and all other associated fixed costs."

With weddings and other events that are booked months or even years in advance, there are scheduling issues as well, and, as Mountanos noted, "people forget about a place if it's closed too long."

During construction, The Larkfield took an office in a storefront directly across the street, where it accepted bookings and was accessible to clients with events already on the calendar. Bookings were strong during the hiatus, Mountanos said.

"People knew the food and service would be the same, and that they would be getting the new, updated look," he said.

The company was also able to retain 80 percent of its employees, many of whom have been at the property since it was purchased by Mountanos and two partners in 2005.

"We told them we would be closed for this period of time and that we would welcome them back, and many came back," Mountanos said, noting that some employees were able to find temporary work in the interim.

However, wedding couples, many of whom booked the venue based on an artist's rendering, had to take a leap of faith.

"We had our ribbon-cutting on June 27, and our first wedding was July 3," Mountanos said, noting 11 events were booked for the first two weeks of July.

"There was some nail-biting," he said.

To limit potential complications, final plans and permits were all in order well before the project began. The owners sat down with the construction team to make sure they were on the same page.

Still, even well-planned construction can be rife with unknowns.

"You always worry - not only about the contractors but the subcontractors finishing on time," said Tony Cotignola, director of sales for Atlantis Banquets & Events and the Hyatt Place East End in Riverhead, which completed its Sea Star Ballroom two years ago, just in time for a full schedule of weddings and other events.

During the building phase, prospective clients were taken on a construction tour.

"Some were wary, but when they saw the renderings and toured the site and saw the views of the river, many booked their event," Cotignola said.

While brides and other event customers may worry about the construction timeline, "they often will go to contract anyway," said Michael Lessing, COO of Lessing's, a Great River-based hospitality company.

"Most people will buy with people or companies they trust. The key is communication and properly presenting a timeline that is realistic" and that takes into account potential construction delays, he added.

In November, Lessing's plans to begin work at Stonebridge Country Club in Smithtown, a renovation that will expand the ballroom by 2,300 square feet, increasing seating capacity to 325 people.

"We will leave a two-month buffer on bookings to accommodate scheduling delays that are inherent in this type of renovation," he said.

Lessing added, "As long as you keep your clients up-to-date on what is happening, the more confident and comfortable they will be closer to the date."

Just as closing a facility for renovations has its drawbacks, so, too, does staying open. Cotignola previously worked for a Manhattan hotel during a construction project that included a total renovation and the addition of several floors. The hotel opted to keep its guest rooms and event facilities open during construction.

"It caused a lot of customer dissatisfaction," Cotignola said. "There were negative comments about the noise and other issues, and some corporate clients moved on," although many later returned.

In Cotignola's opinion, when a catering facility renovates one of its ballrooms, it's probably best to close.

"When you do construction, it looks like construction," he said. "A wedding is the most important day for a bride, groom and their families, and they don't want to have to walk past a construction site on the way to their ballroom."

Mountanos concurred.

"Brides never want to see construction or bulldozers on the site," he said. "They want everything to be manicured and beautiful."

Another benefit to closing for renovations is that it "signals to the public that you have improved," Bohlsen said. "It's hard to have a grand reopening if you never closed."

Bohlsen's firm is gearing up for a grand reopening of its newly rebranded event venue, The Harbor Club at Prime. The group purchased the property, which was formerly known as The Harbor Club and is adjacent to Bohlsen's restaurant Prime in Huntington, last October. The venue has since been closed for a major remodel and will reopen in August.

In many cases, Lessing recommends that a facility stay open during renovations.

"It shows potential clients the excitement of newness or expansion and creates a buzz of interest," he said. "And, of course, it creates a continued cash flow that keeps these renovations fueled for future improvements and expansions."

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Credit: Bernadette Starzee