Dan's Papers - July 3, 2009 - The Maidstone is Poised for a New Century

The Maidstone Arms Inn in East Hampton, with its centuries-long history, is a formidable presence on Main Street. Back when the village was settled, the property on a little hill across from Hook Pond belonged to the Bond family, of the original nine men who settled East Hampton. In 1668, it was sold to the Osborn family, which came to the area in the 1650s from Maidstone, England. The property stayed in the Osborn family for the next 250+ years - until 1924.

There were likely many versions of the house on the property through the decades. It was actually two structures, joined eventually by the one-story breezeway. Part of what stands today (the two story structure on the west side of the property) was built in 1840 and became known as the William Lewis Huntting Osborn House. It's designed in the style of a city row house, with a stairway to the side of the rooms on the left. The building featured Greek Revival trim, a leaded transom and heavy pilasters.

The first time the property was used as an inn was probably 1858 - the year William Osborn and his wife took in boarders. William ran livery stable from the property, taking people to the beach in horse drawn wagons. The couple ran the Osborn House for three decades.

The last Osborn to own the property was William's son, Burnett Mulford Osborn (1856-1943) also known as B.M. Osborn or "Bert." Bert owned one of the first automobiles in East Hampton, and would frequently and enthusiastically offered to take people for a ride. But anyone who took Bert up on the offer might end up in New York City, his favorite driving destination.

Bert enlarged the inn in 1911, combining two houses and converting the porch into a sun parlor in 1912. In the 1930s he leased the inn to Ralph Frood, who renamed it The Maidstone Arms.

Andres Devendorf, a New Yorker with keen knowledge of history and art, bought the Maidstone Arms in the 1960s, transforming it into an elegant country inn. He sold it in the 1970s when he retired. In 1991, the Maidstone was purchased and restored by Coke Anne Murchison Wilcox, an architect whose father was the founder of the Dallas Cowboys.

Several years ago, there was a plan to turn the inn into 12 condominium units. That met with great opposition from many factions within the town. Coke Anne and Jarvis Wilcox requested variances, but ultimately, the plan never materialized.

Many restaurants have made a go of it at the Maidstone, some of which seemed to forcefully retrofit a design or style concept into the hallows of an classic old structure. This season, it has gone through yet another transformation. Last year, the property was purchased by a company called c/o (as in 'care of') Hotels, LLC. The Swedish based hoteliers have recreated the Maidstone, giving it a new life that is both respects tradition of the structure and the town, and positions this landmark for a new era.

The force behind the new Maidstone is Jenny Ljungberg, Creative Director & (according to her business card) "Proud Owner" of c/o Hotels, LLC. Born to a family of real estate developers and hoteliers, Ljungberg moved to the U.S. in January 2007 to start a new hotel in New York City. But according to this energetic woman who could be mistaken for a motivational speaker, "My strategic advisor told me about this" -"this" being the Maidstone.

Ljungberg wanted Manhattan, but after reviewing the property and demographics of the Hamptons, she was convinced the Maidstone was the right undertaking for her c/o Hotels brand. "We look for historic buildings," she said. "All of our hotels are old - maybe 300 years. I really like preserving when I can do something with it."

Ljungberg calls her projects "lifestyle" hotels. The concept includes providing guests with amenities that fit their specific needs and current lifestyle trends. This ranges from providing the expected like WiFi, to building in an eco-friendly style. Copious amounts of insulation were added and window and doors replaced to make the old Maidstone more energy efficient. Beyond that, restricted by East Hampton zoning and building codes, Ljungberg's transformation moves indoors. "I can't do anything on the outside," she said, "so I needed to be innovative on the inside."

While dramatic changes have been made to guestrooms in the Inn, most visitors to the Maidstone will experience the transformation of the public areas: the restaurant and lounge. Apropos of her lifestyle and cozy theme, the restaurant is called The Living Room. At first glance, the look seems traditional. But upon closer scrutiny, it's clear that patterns and fabrics are clean and modern, yet not cold nor sterile.

Around the corner from the dining area, a formerly long, awkward space outfitted with tables placed as if in a dining car, was transformed to a lounge area with sofas and seating looking out onto a garden. Ljungberg replaced an original feature of the building - doors that face Main Street and Hook Pond. Ljungberg's plan also included an excavation of the cellars for a most unusual offering: private, individual wine cellars for members of its Wine Club. Food at the Living Room is led by James Carpenter and Swedish sous chef Bjorn Eriksson. True to lifestyle trends, it is a slow food menu featuring local ingredients.

Ljungberg said that these days, excellent food and good design are expected in high-end hotels and research shows most people are generally satisfied in those areas. Where many hotels still fail is in service. Addressing that grand European tradition, extensive training is part of the plan for Maidstone and The Living Room employees, most of whom are local residents. "We are kid and pet friendly. I wanted the hotel to be comfortable for all people of every age, sexual orientation; those with pets or children; single people. I've trained the staff with techniques to make everyone feel welcome."

Ljungberg and company completely transformed a few rooms in the Inn. The Josef Frank room on the first floor juxtaposes 1940s Frank fabric on a love seat with an antique Swedish grandfathers clock from the 1800s. In the bathroom is an old-fashioned clawfoot tub - but with spiffy modern chrome claws rather than traditional white iron. The other 17 rooms got a facelift and new amenities. "The idea is that you feel as though you're in the care of someone," she said. "It should feel like home, but better because you have room service!"

Ljungberg's "taking care" philosophy extends to staff members, who are encouraged to take part in daily yoga and meditation classes on the lawn. And in addition to serving guests of the inn, the new Maidstone is "very open to the community."

This brand new venture in a very old property in East Hampton shows great promise. But more so, it shows a vision that combines preservation with aspiration. As forward-thinking as she is, Ljungberg also has posterity on her mind. "With this project, I feel I am renovating a national heirloom," she said. "I'm a long-term owner. I look at a project as something I could hand down to my future kids."