It was November 2019 when the Inn at Water’s Edge project began at Wright Construction. This historic building deserved a major face lift after serving as a peaceful retreat for guests over the past 21 years.
After falling into the hands of new owners, Bob and Connie Rae, over 20,000 sf of original wallpaper was removed, and custom wood wainscoting replaced it stretching through the corridors, gathering areas, and 11 bedrooms. Every bedroom is elevated by a bathroom with custom tile, new vanities, and glass shower doors.
Just like snowflakes that fall gracefully in Vermont winter, no two rooms at the Inn at Water’s Edge are alike.
The lobby is now a warm entrance adorned with custom wood beams, metal railings, and refurbished brick floor from 1878. Historic preservation is a specialty of Wright Construction. They can modernize a 150-year-old building with energy efficient heating, lighting, and plumbing, while maintaining the colonial charm by refurbishing as much of the original design and architecture as possible.
It’s standard to be faced with obstacles in construction, but nobody expected anything like COVID-19. For the month of April, just as the amazing team lead by Project Manager Rick Cross and Superintendent Justin Baker was wrapping up, nearly the entire company was laid off. By early May, and with just finishing touches left, the team was able to slowly get started again. That is, while complying with every single PPE and safety precaution required, of course.
However, thanks to the work of Cross, Baker, and their incredible team, the Inn at Water’s Edge is scheduled to reopen June 15th! The Rae family is ready to welcome guests back to the water-front hideaway.
“The best part about the project was the new friendship that was made between myself and the owners,” Cross said.
The team at the Inn felt a connection too.
“I thought that we all worked really well together, which made the project so enjoyable,” Rae reflected, “Seeing things some together, like the wallpaper coming off and the board and batten replacing it, made me confident that the final product would look beautiful and inviting.”
Now that the interior feels especially ‘Vermont’, Mitch Rae, manager of all things food-related, is looking forward to his role in bringing that energy off the walls and onto the menu at the restaurant at the Inn.
“I’ve brought the ‘farm to table’ by utilizing an original barn on the property as a chicken coop so we have fresh eggs each morning,” he said, “I want to tie in the romance and comfort of the interior space with this more rustic, outdoorsy Vermont vibe. It feels so nice to nestle into this more relaxed kind of atmosphere.”
Wright has been thrilled to make the Rae family’s vision come to life, and honored to refurbish another historical piece of Vermont history. If you want a cozy weekend away, the Inn at Waters Edge is officially re-open for business.
