FELLSMERE — The Fellsmere Inn could once again open as a hotel or bed and breakfast if the owner can find a buyer. The landmark hotel is on the market for $1.19 million – or more than $108,600 per hotel room.
“They’re not looking to make a killing,” said real estate agent Bill Glynn, of Thorpe Sotheby’s International Realty, who is handling the listing. He added that the owner is looking to recoup the cost put into the extensive renovations done to the interior of the hotel.
Along with being listed in the U.S., the property is being marketed in Europe, South America, Canada, according to Glynn, because that is where the realty company has offices.
“It is just gorgeous in there,” said Fellsmere resident and historian Korky Korker, who said that he’s had the opportunity to tour the newly restored inn. “He’s done a beautiful job.”
Korker said that the Fellsmere Inn might have been the Broadway Inn in the beginning, or perhaps an addition to the front of the Broadway Inn, based on historical photos.
“We have no proof of this,” Korker said, but looking at other landmarks and reference points in the photos it appears to be that the Fellsmere Inn is located on the same piece of land as the Broadway Inn, only closer to Broadway Street.
Korker remembers staying at the Fellsmere Inn once – before it became an antique shop – and paid just $5 for the night. He and his wife shared the community bathroom with others who were staying at the hotel.
He can also recall there being great meals at the hotel for either $1 or $1.25, “If I remember right,” he said, adding that cars would be lined up along Broadway as the diners poured in for the family-style meals.
“It was quite a feed,” Korker said.
It is those memories that the current owner, Fred Vanderveer, hopes to keep despite selling the inn.
Glynn said that the owner plans to sell to someone who is willing to operate the Fellsmere Inn as a credit to the town and in keeping with its original intent.
The hotel boasts 11 rooms, many of which now have their own private bathroom, new electric wiring, new plumbing, new windows, a cocktail lounge and bar, a banquet hall and a new kitchen with the latest appliances.
Glynn said that though the property has actually been on the market for some time now, it hasn’t been until recently that they have been able to aggressively market the inn due to the renovations.
He said that his office has received a few calls on the property but no contracts yet.
“We’re still talking to people,” Glynn said.
Korker said that he believes that reopening the Fellsmere Inn would be “a great boon” for the city and would help to attract more visitors, especially scull boat racers and fishermen.
“It would be the best thing ever to happen to Fellsmere in a really long time,” the historian said.
Before the inn could open as a hotel, though, it would have to get connected to the city’s water and sewer system.
City Manager Jason Nunemaker has told VeroNews.com that the city is working to get a grant that would help pay for running the system to the east side of Broadway so businesses – such as the Fellsmere Inn – could connect.
When that might happen is not known.
