(York County’s Division of Monetary & Tourism Improvement)
YORKTOWN- At York County’s annual Distinguished Enterprise Affair, Yorktown Beach Hotel earned the 2023 Distinguished Enterprise Award, presented by the Monetary Improvement Authority (EDA) and the Division of Monetary and Tourism Improvement (ETD).
This award is presented to creating corporations that make considerable investments in York County.
“I’m flattered and actually grateful for this honor, and for all of the support York County has
supplied to us a lot more than the prior couple of years,” talked about Matt Bowry, managing companion of M.A. Bowry & Corporation and owner of the household, “It essentially is a testament to all of the difficult function of my group members, all coming with every single other to make this project a achievement.”
Yorktown Beach Hotel, formerly the Duke of York, is the only waterfront hotel in the Greater Williamsburg area.
In 2021, Bowry, along with his investors, became the official owner of the household. They had enormous renovation ideas, planned in phases a lot more than the subsequent couple of years, but the extremely initially change was to the name.
“I knew this may possibly be controversial with some of our legacy guests who had been coming correct right here for generations,” Bowry talked about, “But I felt strongly that we essential potential guests to know appropriate off that we are a waterfront hotel in truth, we’re the only one particular certain in the Historic Triangle.”
The subsequent move also turned heads for longtime guests and locals alike. Bowry decided to demolish the restaurant space and create a modern lobby in its place.
“The restaurant facility was in disrepair and essential tremendous function,” Bowry talked about. “Plus, our parking is restricted, and the restaurant was competing with the hotel for obtainable spots.”
Yorktown Beach Hotel now boasts a fully renovated initially floor of the principal and most significant making on the household, new windows along the front façade, a fresh coat of paint, and refurbished pool specifically exactly where the old plastic balcony furnishings was swapped out for greater-finish matching chairs—offering the optimal beach-gazing sensible knowledge.
(York County’s Division of Monetary & Tourism Improvement)
“My fiancée, Ferren Wolfe, is an interior designer, and she’s been remarkably crucial to the renovation,” Bowry talked about. “Her vision and talent are essentially creating it what it is. I can’t wait to see her ideas for overhauling the guest rooms come to fruition.”
A new breakfast area and marketplace will open rapidly.
In addition to upgrading the rooms, Bowry talked about he has greater hopes of having capable to bring back the rooftop sundeck that was element of the original hotel in the ’70s.
Bowry credits the revived hotel’s achievement to his group, the neighborhood and the County staff.
“I am only a tiny element of the achievement we’ve skilled,” Bowry talked about. “Our group, in certain longtime staff members Leelee King and Gill McCauley, have been so tremendously instrumental to our efforts to bring this hotel back to life. County staff has also been extremely effective and supportive from the beginning.”
(Yorktown Beach Hotel)
Monetary support supplied by the EDA permitted Bowry to upgrade the windows and replace the balcony chairs. On major of that, Bowry talked about the quite a few events held at the waterfront help to bolster his little small business and other people by bringing a lot-essential exposure to the area.
“The County is focused on continual enhancements to the Historic Place, from Riverwalk Landing to the beach picnic area and up the hill on Principal Street,” talked about Kristi Olsen-Hayes, director of the County’s Monetary & Tourism Improvement Division. “Our EDA is also focused on retaining the extended-standing corporations in our legacy industries. So, assisting Mr. Bowry revive the aging hotel, and deciding upon Yorktown Beach Hotel as this year’s award winner, developed greatest sense. We’re excited to see this tourism asset refreshed and thriving after a lot more.”