New Ashford — Following a long closure and a subsequent reopening and two-year operation by a reality TV star, The Springs Motel has once again reopened under new ownership.
According to the town’s property database, the motel, located at 94 U.S. Route 7, was initially built in 1952. It was closed for 20 years until reality TV star and Berkshire County native Lindsey Kurowski purchased the property and reopened it in 2022. Kurowski renovated the motel in a 1960s theme, based on the era in which it originally opened.
Brian Duke, from western Pennsylvania, recently purchased the motel purchased from Kurowski. “I started my career in the finance and investments sector, first in New York City, then in London, and then back in New York City again,” Duke told The Berkshire Edge. “The firm I worked for shut down, and, quite frankly, I was burned out. I moved back to Pennsylvania and started some traditional real estate investing, but it went slower than I thought it should have gone.”
Duke said that he started a family during that time with his high school sweetheart, Alissa.
“I left the corporate world last year after my department got outsourced,” Duke said. “I thought this was a message that said that it is time for me to become my own boss.”
Duke eventually committed himself to real estate investments. “I’ve always been attracted to the real estate market in general,” he said. “There are individual opportunities to be had if you look hard enough and if you look in the right places. I like interacting with people, and I like to travel.”
Duke purchased the Maple Motel and the Meads Motel, both in Erie, Penn. He came across The Springs Motel last fall and said Kurowski wanted to sell it. “It’s a great property,” he said. “Lindsey did some really neat renovations to this place. The lower 17 rooms in the four cabins have this mid-century vibe.”
Duke said that Kurowski started work on the second building on the property but did not finish the renovations. “We intend to finish the renovations,” he said. “The second building has 13 units, and we want to turn this motel from a 21-unit property to a 34-unit property this year. The second building is mostly a shell that will need a complete overhaul, but there is a lot of growth potential here with this property.”
Duke said that Kurowski left the property in relatively good shape but he still plans on making minor updates to the existing rooms. “I hope to deliver a memorable experience and a unique stay,” Duke said. “For those looking for nostalgia, we deliver that. If you want to come with your family to disconnect from whatever your life is and enjoy time with each other, you have to provide an environment and experience. You also have to provide a level of hospitality that helps to fulfill those goals by having a staff and a demeanor that is helpful and adds to the experience. Frankly, you also want people to come back, because your repeat guests are your best guests.”
Duke said that Kurowski “created something neat and special” during her ownership of The Springs Motel. “Our goal is to expand on what she did,” Duke said. “We want her unique design to continue to shine through. I will invest in the motel and make it bigger and better. I want to keep making the motel bigger and be a treat partner to the Berkshire County community.”
For more information about The Springs Motel, visit its website.
