Melville hotel proposal includes extended-stay option

Beechwood Organization, the developer known for building homes across Long Island, is proposing to construct a 299-room luxury hotel in Melville, where guests can also opt to stay for longer durations. 

Beechwood principal Steven Dubb said the company plans to build The Ferncliffe Hotel at 125 Spagnoli Rd., which aims to serve changing lifestyle habits and demographics on Long Island. While the property will have traditional short-stay guests, Dubb said, its extended-stay component will offer a high-end solution to people who prefer more flexible lifestyle and housing options.

“Having our finger on the pulse of housing and lifestyles on Long Island, we realized that there is a growing need for something like this,” Dubb said.

He said Long Islanders who are renovating their house or have sold their homes and are waiting for their next house to be completed are the types of guests he envisions using the extended-stay option — or, those who have moved out of state but still want to have extended stays on the Island at various times throughout the year. 

Since 1985, Beechwood has constructed 9,500 homes across Long Island. This project, however, is not the organization's first foray into hotels. It also owns and manages The Vanderbilt and The Selby, which are apartment/hotel hybrids in Westbury, Dubb said. Beechwood also owns a hotel in upstate Saratoga Springs.

Dorothy Roberts, president of the Long Island Hospitality Association, an organization that represents the area’s hotels, said she was not aware of the Ferncliffe proposal.

She said she is aware of two national chains considering hotels along Route 110 in Melville and Babylon, including an extended-stay facility.

Roberts said Long Island has several market segments that make it a stable place to build a hotel, including industries such as education, medical and film production. But saturation could be a concern. "I hope they took into account the proposed hotels that I know are in the pipeline in that area," she said.

“Hotels rely on not just leisure business, but also corporate business, especially with an extended stay, you rely on corporate relocations so you want to make sure that there's enough businesses and market segments to support your hotel,” Roberts said.

Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth, who has been on a listening tour to hear from residents about redeveloping Melville's Route 110 corridor, said the proposal would bring a “very welcome capital investment into Melville.”

The Huntington Town Board has set May 9 for a public hearing to consider a request from 125 Spagnoli Road LLC to change the zoning on a property on the south side of Spagnoli Road, west of Broadhollow Road, from light-industry district to planned-motel district for the hotel project.

Johanna S. Suchow, an acting board member of the Sweet Hollow Civic Association, said members think it’s a good project and would be a plus for the area. She said the way Dubb and his team treated the community stands out.

“Just the respect that they showed to even take the time to speak with us about it, makes us feel like a part of the process,” she said.