The View from Manor Inn: Christine N. Bolton, Proprietor

( July 31, 2002) Larchmont’s Manor Inn on Prospect Avenue is up for sale, and has been for close to three years. Christine N. Bolton, one of the three sisters who own the property, is clearly exhausted and exasperated over the many hurdles she’s faced in her attempts to sell the Inn.

Mrs. Bolton represents the third generation of her family to be operating the Manor Inn. In 1955, Christine Nyberg and her son John purchased the inn which operated as a hotel and restaurant open to the public. (Review a 1956 Menu Selection.) As with the nearby Bevan Hotel, there were some long-term residents, eleven at time of purchase. Other guests would come up from the city or from around the country to stay for the summer.

Mrs. Bolton remembered, “My father did lots of weddings, advertised the restaurant in the local paper, and provided catering, for example Sunday breakfasts for St. John’s church. People started coming to Manor Inn instead of the Bevan as we had an American plan and offered much better food." A satisfied customer from 1960 wrote, "They attract a most agreeable class of guests and everyone is made to feel at home." ((Read the rest of the letter.)

By the early 60’s the Manor Inn was full with long-term guests. As the guests grew older, the Inn evolved into a senior population. “We never stopped operating as a hotel,” reported Mrs. Bolton. "Now with fewer long-term residents, the Inn has been going back to operating as it initially did as a hotel. People come to the Inn for receptions and to stay from all over Westchester, the country, and the world,” she added.

Over the many years her family has operated the Inn, Mrs. Bolton observed, the resident population has aged appreciably. At one time, most of the residents were in their sixties or seventies, “Now they’re in their 80’s and 90’s and frailer,” said Mrs. Bolton. In her opinion, the Manor Inn is not suitable for a frail population.

When she went to sell her property, her goal was to see it continue as a hotel/restaurant. There were contracts underway from buyers seeking to continue the Inn as an upscale bed and breakfast with restaurant or to develop luxury condominium apartments. Mrs. Bolton feels opposition from a neighborhood steering committee directly interfered with those possibilities. She reported, "Buyers backed out of their contracts after attending meetings where neighbors said they would spend every last dime fighting them."

There was also interest from Bethel Organization, which operates a skilled-care nursing facility in Ossining and an independent living complex in Croton-on Hudson. Their intention was to renovate the building to function as affordable housing for senior citizens. However, close neighbors opposed their renovation plans and their purchase offer of $1.8 million was not acceptable to Mrs. Bolton who is asking $2.9 million

She said, “It’s very unfair when you buy a property and you have three buildable lots and then all is taken away. You go to sell your business and you’re told you can’t do that either.“

At this point, the family does have the right to subdivide the property into two lots. Replacement of the Inn by two new homes is the solution favored by many of the nearest neighbors, as well.

Would she still consider an offer to purchase the Manor Inn? Mrs. Bolton said she would.

In the past few months, a group of Larchmont residents organized as the Manor Inn Steering Committee has been filing papers to create a not-for-profit housing fund corporation to own the Inn. Their plan is to raise sufficient funds to purchase the property and then to contract with Bethel Corporation to help with obtaining County grants and to manage the Inn.

“Their intentions are good,” said Mrs. Bolton, “But they’ve come on board way too late.”

See also:
Commentary: "Working to Preserve the Manor Inn"
News: "Larchmont Committee Fund-Raising to Purchase the Manor Inn "
Editorial: "Getting it Right on Manor Inn"
Feature: "Larchmont Then and Now"

Send this page to a friend

Discuss this topic in our forums, or send a letter to the editors.