Hawkins Inn in Jamesport advances plans to add guest rooms
A plan to build eight guest rooms in an existing barn adjacent to the Jedediah Hawkins Inn in Jamesport will be the subject of a public hearing at the Riverhead Planning Board’s June 7 meeting, which starts at 7 p.m.
The owners of the inn have made no secret of their plans to seek the guest rooms, which they say are needed to make the operation profitable.
There are two buildings on the property, the main inn building, which was built in 1863 and houses the Luce & Hawkins restaurant and six guest rooms, and the barn, which has been used for events like art shows.
Earlier this year, the owners received Planning Board approval to build a breezeway connecting the barn to the inn — a move that, under town code, allows the two building to be considered one, which, in turn, allows the additional guest rooms.
“We have a barn that’s just sitting there empty,” Luce & Hawkins proprietor Keith Luce told the News-Review last December. “We’d like to use it for more rooms. Having a few more guest rooms would really help our revenue.”
Some civic groups have said they fear the property will be used for outdoor catering, which Mr. Luce has said is not planned.
