SEBASTIAN — A new bird is in town. Just north of the Indian River Drive turn-off on U.S. 1, next to Kroegel Produce, the former Pink Flamingo is getting a face lift – and a new name.
The 18-unit cluster of authentic old-Florida guest cottages has been attracting vacationers and stay-cationers for decades, and was showing the wear and tear of life on Florida’s hurricane-prone coast.
Owners Leslie and Tim Wolff, experienced hoteliers with properties on Captiva and North Hutchinson Island, purchased the Flamingo a decade ago, planning to refurbish it, while maintaining the kitschy, ‘50s charm that had attracted them to it. Then, as son-in-law Natt Wittstruck put it, “Life happened.”
“Life” came in the form of Hurricanes Jean and Frances and literally turned the Wolffs’ world upside down.
“We lost our own home in Vero Beach, and our hotel on Hutchinson Island had $300,000 damage,” Leslie Wolff said. “Our Captiva property was hit as well.” The cottages, on which they had already been doing quite a bit of work, also suffered significant damage.
Its facelift on hold, the Pink Flamingo still managed to welcome the usual steady flow of what Wolff lovingly calls “our beloved birds” (the snow variety).
At last, the time had come to start the long-postponed project. The goal was to keep the charm and personality intact, just spiff it up a bit and change the name.
A longtime New Yorker, Wittstruck is married to the Wolffs’ daughter, Mimi, and owns Wittstruck Creative.
Now living in Vero, he brings his expertise to the business website and the re-branding.
For years, the Pink Flamingo, sporting sun glasses, has welcomed visitors and passersby from a big sign on U.S. 1.
The Wolffs didn’t want the beautification project to destroy the unique character of the cottages but rather “to honor what we already have, to elevate the aesthetic and the experience for our guests,” Wittstruck explained.
Thus the Flamingo is packing his bags and preparing for retirement.
In his place will be – The Pink Pelican, welcoming guests to Pelican Island Cottages.
“He’s evocative of the flamingo, same pink color, with the same bones, but cleaner and more elegant – personal to Sebastian, with its iconic pelicans,” said Wittstruck.
The official name change will occur as soon as the new sign arrives.
Not wanting to close down during the refurbishing, the Wolffs carefully planned the work, tackling the cottages one by one, as each family checks out, thus allowing the other units to remain open.
“We want to reinvest in Sebastian,” Wolff says “We try to use local businesses. I refer to the chamber listing all the time.”
The new landscaping is being done by Cody Holmes Beautiful Lawns, and master carpenter Bill Baker has been on site, building the shutters.
James Jackson is on-site manager.
The property, shaded by large oaks, extends from U.S. 1 to Indian River Drive, with access from both sides. It is a pleasant mix of old Sebastian and Key West, with a dash of Caribbean.
A gravel driveway winds through, past the pink cottage units with their green doors and handmade-on-site wooden shutters in bright aqua.
In the center of the property stands a large wooden building, lemon yellow with white trim, wide screened windows all round, reminiscent of summer camp on the lake.
“We’re calling this the Teddy Roosevelt Clubhouse, we’ll have black leather furniture, fishing poles, old photos,” Wolff explains.
Happily, the original, wide-planked wooden floor will remain, as will the original dark wood walls in some of the cottages.
For years, Wolff says, she has wanted to decorate the cottages, each with a different local wildlife name and interior decor.
Wittstruck is currently creating renditions of the birds, fish and critters which will go on each cottage’s front door. So far, Wolff has chosen snook, marlin, mahi mahi, tarpon, snowy egret, peacock and parrot.
The row of smaller cottages along the south side will be called Alligator Alley.
“It’s so much more fun than boring numbers,” she says, excited. “You can say, ‘Oh, I’m staying in Snowy Egret Cottage!’”
Every cottage, she adds, has modern conveniences, new beds and sofas, TV and WiFi, and some have screened porches.
The cottages have always enjoyed a robust business, including many visitors who return year after year.
“There are always lots of out-of-state plates. We’re successful here because we are simple and affordable,” says Wolff. “We are a state-licensed hotel. We don’t lease, we rent by the day, week or month. We love seniors and we give senior and military discounts all year-round, no matter what. And – we are pet friendly. We love animals.”
Wittstruck adds, “We have all the information, from the Chamber of Commerce, on local restaurants and activities – the fishing and surfing, kayaking, biking, skydiving, birding – we want to promote people getting out, enjoying this beautiful community.”
