The ribbon is cut! Pictured (l-r): Rick Cross of Wright Construction; Joel Quinones, guest services manager; Connie Rae, owner; Mitch Rae, food and beverage manager; and Justin Baker of Wright Construction
LUDLOW—It was November 2019 when Wright Construction began the project at the Inn at Water’s Edge. The historic building, on the shore of Echo Lake off Route 100 in Ludlow, deserved a major facelift after serving as a peaceful retreat for guests over the past 21 years, the new owners, Bob and Connie Rae, felt.
Soon over 20,000 square feet of original wallpaper was removed and custom wood wainscoting replaced it stretching through the corridors, gathering areas, and 11 bedrooms. Every bedroom was elevated by a bathroom with custom tile, new vanities, and glass shower doors. And the lobby entrance was adorned with custom wood beams, metal railings, and refurbished brick floor from 1878.
No two rooms at the Inn at Water’s Edge are alike.
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,” said Carly Trombley, marketing coordinator for Wright Construction.
It’s standard to be faced with obstacles in construction, but nobody expected anything like the Covid-19 pandemic. For the month of April, just as the team led 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 start again — while complying with every single health and safety precaution required, of course.
Despite the temporary set-back, the Inn at Water’s Edge reopened June 15. The Rae family was excited to welcome guests back to the waterfront 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 agreed.
“I thought that we all worked really well together, which made the project so enjoyable,” Rae reflected. “Seeing things come 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.”
The restaurant, however, won’t be open to the public for a few more weeks.
Wright has been thrilled to make the Rae family’s vision come to life, and honored to refurbish another historical piece of Vermont history.
For more information about the Inn at Waters Edge visit innatwatersedge.com. For more information about Wright Construction visit wrightconstruction.com.
