Boardy Barn site makeover? Developer seeks to build hotel there

A Riverhead hotelier is pitching a plan for a hotel at the site of the Boardy Barn in Hampton Bays, but the viability of the project hinges on a key zoning decision by Southampton lawmakers.

Rob Salvatico, who owns the Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Riverhead, said in an interview Friday that he and several partners envision a 68-room boutique hotel at the site of the legendary bar.

“We think it’s an ideal location,” Salvatico said, adding that demand for hotel rooms in Riverhead draws guests from both the North and South forks. “You have some absolutely spectacular hotels in the Hamptons, but from a sizing perspective, you’re not north of 30 or 40 rooms anywhere."

Zoning could be a hurdle for the concept, since the 2½-acre site is within a highway business district that does not allow hotels to be built.

David Gilmartin Jr., a Bridgehampton-based land use attorney with Greenberg Traurig LLP, said his clients plan to ask the town to consider a zoning change and make hotels a special exception in that area. They plan to meet with the town board May 1, he said.

“It’s a property that needs a shot in the arm,” Gilmartin said in an interview Friday. “We think it levels up Hampton Bays.”

The iconic Boardy Barn opened in 1970 and was known for serving up cold beer and loud music under a red-and-white-striped tent on Sundays between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It closed in 2021 and was sold the following year for $4 million to Vozi Realty LLC of Garden City, according to county records. The owners currently operate a beer garden, The Barnyard, at the site. 

Southampton Supervisor Maria Moore said Friday that the town hasn't received an application for the hotel. "I’m only aware that the owners attended the recent Hampton Bays Civic Association meeting to get a sense from the community regarding the concept of a two-story hotel in that location," Moore said, but did not comment further.

Salvatico presented the concept at a Hampton Bays Civic Association meeting last month and got a warm reception.

Ray D’Angelo, president of the civic, said he was “impressed” by the presentation, though the organization hasn’t yet taken an official stance on the project.

“I think it’s needed,” D’Angelo said in an interview. “A lot of these hotels that we have are small cottages, they’re older. I think what [Salvatico] wants to do is very thoughtful.”

Salvatico said the boutique hotel would be part of the Tapestry Collection, a “soft brand” affiliated with Hilton. The hybrid partnerships allow the hotel to maintain its own identity and be “branded, but not formulaic,” Salvatico said.

He estimated development costs could be around $20 million.

“The whole idea is that we have the architectural design freedom to put together a hotel that suits the community, little nods to the neighborhood, but at the same time enjoy the quality assurances that come with staying at a Hilton hotel,” he said.

The hotel could also include a bistro-style restaurant and bar, Salvatico said.

Gilmartin, a former Southampton Town attorney, said the town’s zoning code is prohibitive for new hotels, since it only permits one room per 11,000 square feet, or four per acre.

“At four units per acre, it doesn’t make sense for anyone to try and develop a hotel, just because the density … isn’t there to make it a feasible project,” he said.

The developers said they plan to continue seeking community feedback on the concept throughout the process.

“It’s the right thing,” Salvatico said. “If you can’t have a community that speaks well and with pride of the development in their town, you’re not going to win.”

With Joe Werkmeister