Flanders Residents Rally Around Brewster House Revitalization

A new day could be dawning for a dilapidated, four-story former bed-and-breakfast in Flanders.

The owners of the Brewster House, a former inn located at 1380 Flanders Road—which has long been considered one of the most serious blights in Flanders and which Southampton Town is considering demolishing—are working with engineers to draw up plans for the 1.8-acre property on one of the busiest streets in the hamlet.

The owners said potential plans include an inn with a restaurant or a single-family house. And the community seems to be all for the development.

Last week, Keri Minnick, one of the owners, discussed development ideas and potential road blocks with members of the Flanders, Riverside, Northampton Association, saying that she wants residents involved in the process of restoring the house.

“There are a million things on the table, but rather than me tell you what I think should be done, I would prefer to hear from you; you guys have lived here a long time,” Ms. Minnick told members of the group. “I would like to hear what you guys would prefer to see. It is important to me to keep the history together and to keep something nice for the community. That was always my intention.”

The 28-room house dates back to the 1800s. The building was originally a hotel, known as Grove House and operated by Captain Robert W. Penney. In 1891, the exclusive Flanders Club, a group of New York City businessmen and sportsmen, moved their headquarters to the property, and in 1922 the main building was converted into a boarding house operated by the Brewster family, according to the Southampton Town Flanders Heritage Report. As a boarding house, the building was known for catering to a largely Jewish clientele, and it is believed to have been a kosher establishment. Also in 1922, the Flanders Club was moved and attached to the back, which eventually became a kitchen. In the early 1950s, the building was converted into a police station, where, in 1959, then Police Chief William Ashauer committed suicide.

The exterior is remembered as having large, central cross-gabled dormers along the front and sides, with a full front porch and double-hung front windows.

The property has fallen into serious disrepair, having been severely damaged by fire in the 1980s and having been left vacant at least since that time. It passed between several owners with little to no attempt to maintain the building and was purchased by Ms. Minnick and her associates, the Restoration Equity Group LLC, in February 2014.

The Brewster House restoration is a priority for residents in Riverside and Flanders, according to Ron Fisher, head of the Flanders, Riverside, Northampton Citizens Advisory Committee; the Flanders Riverside, Northampton Association; and the Bayview Pines Civic Association, who said the property was named earlier this year by the CAC as one of 15 properties the group most wanted to see cleaned up. At the time, the Southampton Town Fire Marshal’s office examined the property and said there are multiple violations, and a public hearing on having the town demolish the structure has been scheduled for May.

However, now that Ms. Minnick and her associates are working on plans to redevelop the property, the community is rallying behind the owners, saying they would rather see the house restored and turned into something they want than simply demolished, with the lot left vacant. According to Ms. Minnick, the property is in two different residential zoning districts, and she will need variances no matter what she decides to do.

“You are going to have a community that will be here and rallying behind you now,” Mr. Fisher said at the FRNCA meeting on April 11, where Ms. Minnick spoke to a crowd of roughly 40 people. “You will be surprised how quickly the government moves when the community is behind it.”

According to Ms. Minnick, plans have not been finalized for the property. She said a restaurant and inn are certainly options, but that initial conversations with Southampton Town officials indicate they would rather see a residential use. Ms. Minnick said the plans will be largely based on how much of the original building can be saved, explaining that while there are pieces that can be refurbished and reused, a large portion of the house and adjoining structures will have to be replaced for safety reasons.

She said she expects plans to be submitted to the town in the next few months, stressing that her main goal is to work in the spirit of revitalization efforts in Flanders.

“I realize how important this will be to the Flanders community, because this is a highway right now and there are no real commercial businesses for people to utilize,” she said. “There are not a lot of restaurants. If you want to go eat somewhere you have got to actually go, so this could start the beginning of a real development for Flanders, and I want to make sure that is what you want.”