Clarification: According to CDCSB members Orenstein and Helfand, while the organization has signed a purchase and sale agreement with the owners of the Thornewood Inn, the organization has not yet closed on the sale. The purchase is expected to close in early 2024.
Great Barrington — In the hopes of providing much-needed workforce housing in the area, the Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire (CDCSB) has signed a purchase and sale agreement with the owners of the Thornewood Inn. According to the inn’s website, the building on the property, a Dutch Colonial home, was built in 1919.
In 1983, couple David and Terry Thorne purchased the building and slowly turned it into an inn. The inn opened in 1984 with four guest units, but over time has grown into 14 units. Earlier this month, however, after 39 years of operating the inn, the Thornes announced that they would be selling the inn to CDCSB for $1.365 million.
According to its website, CDCSB’s mission is to build affordable housing and to create living-wage jobs in the area by working with municipalities, organizations, and nonprofit organizations. The organization plans to have 18 housing units for local workers at the former inn.
According to the town’s property database, the current property assessment values the building at $596,000, its 2.730 acres of land valued at $275,900, and extra features valued at $21,900, for a total value of $893,800. In a press release issued by CDCSB, the organization lists that the price for the purchase and sale agreement is “significantly below its appraised value.” Additionally, the assessment values do not take into account the furniture inside of the inn, much of which, including beds, tables, decor, and seating, will remain in the inn.
To purchase the property, the organization received a $100,000 challenge grant from an anonymous source, with the donor promising to match the donations from $1 to $1,000. When asked by The Berkshire Edge, representatives from CDCSB would not reveal who the anonymous donor is. The organization also announced that the Greylock Federal Credit Union committed to providing mortgage financing for the purchase of the building.
When The Berkshire Edge visited the inn on Tuesday, December 13 with other members of the media and CDCSB, the Thornes were in the process of packing boxes and holding a flea market sale of some of the items the inn has collected over the years. “What are my favorite memories of the inn? The people,” David Thorne told The Berkshire Edge. “We had tons and tons of travelers here—American and international people who stayed at the inn. I also think we are in a wonderful area, which is what drew us here.”
Terry Thorne grew up in Kent, Conn., while David Thorne grew up in Roxbury, Conn.
“I’m very happy that CDCSB is purchasing the inn,” David Thorne said. “This inn has been our lifeblood for many years. We started this inn with a 3,000-square-foot building, and now it’s 11,000 square feet. This will be great for people who want to work in the area and for those who want to get their foot in the door in Berkshire County. Right now, that’s next to impossible unless you have this kind of transitional piece.”
David Thorne said that the rooms in the building are already ready to be used as workforce housing. “The rooms will not need to be converted in any way,” David Thorne said. “The organization is going to start using the rooms as they are. Then they’re going to add new rooms as they go along. The property is two-and-a-half acres, so they can add more buildings which will enhance the place.”
Members of the CDCSB at the December 13 press event, including organization Clerk Erik Bruun, Board of Directors member Robin Helfand, and Treasurer Philip Orenstein, were all looking forward to turning the inn into workforce housing. “We’re already starting the process of forming a list for people who might be interested in workforce housing at the inn,” Helfand said. “We will be doing direct outreach with the local business community and to merchants in the coming weeks. We hope that this will house members of our local workforce. We want people who work locally to live locally.”
“The inn is in very good shape, so we’re just going to utilize the building in the same manner that it’s currently in,” Orenstein said. “People will be able to stay here for 30-day increments. If they want to stay longer, we’ll extend their stay for another 30 days. No one’s going to be kicked out, and that’s not the intent here.”
According to Orenstein, the organization is still developing the criteria for applications to the building, including income eligibility requirements. The organization plans on opening the inn as workforce housing units this winter, but an exact date has not yet been set.
For more information about the Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire, visit its website.
