NEIGHBORS SCRUTINIZE BULLS HEAD INN PLAN

By Sabrina C. Mashburn

Since May of 2006, the citizens of Bridgehampton have had the Bulls Head Inn property, right smack in the middle of town, on their minds. At first, they were overjoyed that the old building was going to be revamped, saving it from falling into disrepair. However, once the developer revealed his plans for the building, most people in the community turned their backs on the project. The developer, Miaco LLC president Bill Campbell, had wanted to turn the Bulls Head Inn into a reincarnation of its former self. However, wanting to be current and offer everything a new hotel should, as well as glean some sort of return on his investment, Mr. Campbell also wanted to build a full service spa on the property. This is where the citizens have drawn the line. Why? They feel that a spa would attract more out of town visitors than an inn without a spa and that there is no need for yet another spa in town. Many feel that, with the addition of a spa, the site will become too attractive for those looking to host upscale events such as weddings. But Mr. Campbell claims that there is not enough space for such events and that he is simply trying to revamp the property to its utmost potential.

Currently, the plan for the building includes 22 guest rooms, four guest cottages with three bedrooms each, a restaurant in the main building with a capacity for 66 patrons, a 69-space parking lot, a 50-person conference area and a combined spa and wellness center. To house these facilities, it was necessary for Mr. Campbell to purchase the two lots surrounding the property, including one that is the current site of the Rose House Barn. As of April 19, the plan for the main building included increasing the height of an existing extension to make it more congruous to the rest of the building, demolishing the two small houses on the surrounding lots to make room for the parking lot and expanding the Rose House Barn to accommodate the spa and wellness center. Residents of Bridgehampton expressed concern about this plan, remarking that it would alter the footprint and faççade of the buildings unnecessarily. There are also concerns as to how much Mr. Campbell will be able to fit on the three-acre lot and whether his inn will increase traffic in the area, as the Bridgehampton Commons have. Mr. Campbell believes these concerns are unfounded, as he doesn’t envision the inn being large enough to attract the great numbers of guests the community believes will eventually be using the space. Another concern is that, if the plan is approved, it will open up the Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike area to more commercial developments.

Since the original plan was presented, the project’s architect, David Beem of Roger Ferris & Partners LLC, has come up with a plan to use an “architectural hyphen” to join the original building with the new addition, in order to make room for the new kitchens and elevators while still preserving the appearance of the old building. This plan has received mixed reviews, as some residents feel that it will not be a historically accurate restoration of the building. These neighbors would rather see a more modern-looking addition visually, if not entirely, separated from the original structure. The size of the parking lot is also a concern, as many members of the community cannot fathom how a 69-space lot will be able to accommodate both staff and guests, resulting in parking spilling over onto the street.

This plan is a revised version of the architect’s original vision, which he modified after hearing suggestions from the Southampton Town Planning Board and the Suffolk County Department of Public Works in February. The original plan had two driveways and exposed the newer structures. By rotating the newer structures and planting an orchard and privet hedges between them and the line of sight from the road, the new plan will make the historic structures the centerpiece of the complex and obstruct the newer buildings from view.

Although most citizens agree that this project is much more desirable in that location than the gas station proposed for the lot before Mr. Campbell purchased it, it seems that the developer and his neighbors cannot reach a happy medium between their visions of the property. Mr. Campbell’s campus of cottages, a spa and wellness center, an inn and a conference room does indeed seem more suited to the “new” version of Bridgehampton than to the era of the original Bulls Head Inn. However, is this spa and wellness center any more offensive than the Target store that filled the historic building only two summers before? Bridgehampton is one of the very few places left on the East End that still retains that country Main Street feeling, even as her neighbors welcome Cartier, Gucci and Polo stores to their shingled shops. However, in order to retain the visual character of the Bulls Head Inn, it is essential that Mr. Campbell benefit from the restoration by having a successful inn once construction is completed. The citizens’ advisory committee has pledged that this project will be one of their main focuses during the coming months, making a decision on the final plan imminent. Whatever the final outcome, the plan is sure to be a compromise on both sides, one that may not please anyone fully, but will ensure that both the developer and the hamlet benefit equally from the project.

From what we’ve seen and heard so far, however, we think this new project would be a wonderful addition to the community and hope in the end, it gets approved.