37 Interlaken

A Vision To The Future

The History

The Beckwith or Bonnie Briar Estate is one of the original Berkshires Cottages. It was built in 1892 and

designed by architect and wealthy owner Leonard Forbes Beckwith. It was originally named Bonnie Briar. Its

history is colored with many notable events and facts.

Site of the largest barn in the United States and housed 100 horses

Many large horse shows were held at the Estate

It was the first site of the Berkshire Music Festival now at Tanglewood

One owner planted multiple trees to create an outdoor “New Thought” chapel

It was the site of a wedding where the bride and groom rode an elephant

The site consists of 320 acres. This large parcel backs up to Yokun Mountain range and consists of woods and

fields, along with a sizable area around the Estate with more formal plantings developed over the years. Many

of its historical landscaping features, which made it an ideal outdoor venue for various events over time, remain

today and add to the beauty and character of the property.

Over the years, the property was used for various purposes, most recently as a boarding school, which closed

over a decade ago. The property subsequently fell into disrepair and became an eyesore in the community until

it was purchased by the current owner, who invested significantly to clean up the property and maintain it. This

included demolishing a number of unsightly buildings and making certain the historic cottage era estate could

be preserved.

Project Overview

The destination resort and residential development will occupy approximately 100 acres of the 320 acres. The

Project will preserve and enhance the historic view of the Estate from Interlaken Road, along with the other

historic characteristics of the Cottage Era Estate. It will consist of the following:

A hotel with 40-50 guest rooms and suites

139 condominium units adjacent to the hotel designed to mirror the historic era of the hotel

34 single family residences in the rear of the property

Restaurants, event space and amenities expected in a full-service resort open to the public

15-20 acres of sustainable farm land open for the use of all residents

Access to hiking trails

As part of the resort, the project will incorporate an “agrihood”. Research from leading planning professionals

show that agrihoods are becoming the leading housing trend for all age groups. Agrihoods are planned to

incorporate access to basic gardening and farming products for the residents. They offer access to garden areas

and locally grown food, promoting the farm to table movement. At 37 Interlaken, there would be active

farming of approximately 15 to 20 acres, along with the maintenance of greenhouses and relationships with

local farmers to provide farm to table food for those who live at the resort and those who dine at its restaurant.

As we introduced this project to our neighbors and voters of Stockbridge, the most frequent criticism of the 37

Interlaken Road project is its size or density. The size or the scope of the Project is its most essential features.

It is intended to be a material resort that draws large numbers of tourists and additional residents to the area.

Major growth in tourism for the area cannot be accomplished through the addition of more small inns or small

developments. A destination resort is required as an anchor for expanded tourism. Such a resort can draw

Fortune 500 company conferences, large weddings and special conferences. There is not a better location in the

Stockbridge area for such a resort than the 320 acres at 37 Interlaken Road.

This $150 million investment will provide hundreds of construction and operational employment opportunities,

with preferences being given to Stockbridge residents. The Project will also provide a dramatic economic

stimulus to the Town, paying the Town over $2 million per year in taxes. Furthermore, it will materially

contribute to the promotion of the tourism industry in the area and provide a venue that will be able to host large

corporate events that does not exist in the Berkshires.

What’s Next . . . Changes to Cottage Era Zoning Bylaws

The proposed 37 Interlaken Project cannot be approved under the current Town of Stockbridge Zoning Bylaws.

There are certain aspects to this unique resort community that were not contemplated by the current Bylaws. In

order to move forward with this $150 Million investment in Stockbridge, we plan to submit a zoning

amendment for consideration by appropriate Town boards and, ultimately, by Town Meeting in May 2018 if

construction is to begin in by late 2019. This proposal would amend the Town’s Cottage Era Estate bylaw to

allow residential redevelopments of Cottage Era Estates, and would allow resort developments subject to Site

Plan Review by the Planning Board. Specific features of the proposed bylaw include the following:

- Residential Development – Residential development would be allowed at a density of up to one

house for every three acres of land area allocated to that purpose. To avoid over-development and

preserve the beautiful open spaces that characterize Cottage Era Estates, this development could be

“clustered” within a property.

- Resort Development – The proposed Bylaw would allow for development of a world-class

destination resort. Such resorts may include the following features, which would be open to the

public:

o Hotel with up to 100 rooms

o Restaurant venues & function facilities

o Resort condominium units at a density allocation of up to one unit per acre

o Recreational amenities, such as pool, spa, tennis and golf facilities

o Artists’ studios and galleries

- Agriculture – The Bylaw would allow portions of a Cottage Era Estate to be used for greenhouses,

farming and other agricultural uses to supply both the on-site restaurant and residents of the

property.

- Site Plan Review – Any resort development under this proposed Bylaw would require the developer

to obtain approval of the site development plan from the Town’s Planning Board. This rigorous

process would require the applicant to provide complete site plans, a full traffic study, drainage

calculations, and detailed landscaping and lighting plans. In reviewing these plans, the Planning

Board will be charged with ensuring that the proposal satisfies the following performance standards:

o Minimize use of wetlands, steep slopes, flood plains, hilltops

o Preserve natural or historic features

o Provide for the preservation of open space

o Preserve or enhance scenic views from publicly accessible locations

o Prevent pollution of surface or groundwater

o Provide for safe vehicular and pedestrian movement

This proposed Bylaw will provide the flexibility necessary to encourage beneficial reuse and redevelopment of

Cottage Era Estates such as the 37 Interlaken property, while also requiring that a process and standards are in

place to ensure that the development is undertaken in a way that protects the Town’s history, traditions,

environment and resources.

We want to present these draft Bylaws to the Selectmen in early November. We are hopeful that the Selectmen

and the Planning Committee will provide these proposed Bylaws with a timely review; however, we recognize

that this may not be possible as a result of a small number of abutters who oppose this project. We plan to work

diligently and cooperatively with the Town to secure a timely review. We recognize that if our efforts are not

successful, we will need to ask that our proposed Bylaws be placed on the Town Warrant for a vote at the 2018

May Town Meeting.

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How You Can Help

The 37 Interlaken Project needs the support of voters in the Town of Stockbridge if it is to become a reality.

While May 2018 seems like a long time from today, it is really a very short time. Stockbridge voters need to

understand our project and support it by attending Town Meeting next May. The time for action is now! We

need the voters to vote in the affirmative for the Bylaw changes that will help 37 Interlaken Project become a

reality. We can only do this with your help and support and by keeping the lines of communication open and

transparent. Here are some ways you can help secure this wonderful project for Stockbridge.

Let us know any questions you may have

Talk to your neighbors about how important this project is for the future of Stockbridge

Encourage those in support of the Project to vote in the Town Meeting

Write a letter of support to the Selectmen, town leaders and/or the local paper

Let us know of any meetings or other gatherings where we may share in

formation on the Project

Sign up for our mailing list so we can keep you informed of project developments

We understand the challenges the Town faces balancing smart growth and preserving the essence of

Stockbridge and the Berkshire region as a whole. We also understand the natural tendency to not have material

changes in a community many have known and loved for years. Regardless of whether this project is embraced,

the Town of Stockbridge is changing. The 37 Interlaken Road project represents a significant opportunity for

the Town to not only embrace this change, but to insure Stockbridge’s continuing vitality and take advantage of

the rapidly growing hospitality industry. This cannot be done with small, tentative steps.

We are passionate about Stockbridge and its future, and the role the 37 Interlaken project could have. We

believe a resort of this type can be a material anchor for the further development of tourism in this beautiful area

and further the expansion of the area’s tourism based economy. While the project celebrates the history of the

area, it can be a critical and material part of Stockbridge’s future evolution.

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For More Information or to Contact Us:

www.37interlaken.com

37interlaken@gmail.com