Renovations Blog

Between a Rock and Cool Place

Exciting times on the construction site today. A 6,000 lb. granite slab was hoisted to its new resting place in front of the pool at the Boathouse Lodge.  Steve Sharps from Holderness harvested the granite from a quarry in Vermont.

6,000 lb granite slab from VT.

Gliding by with ease.

The game/billiard room in the Boathouse Lodge.

The expansive view from the game room.

Here is a great room . . .

with a great fireplace!

At this stage the fireplace looks like a big jigsaw puzzle.

Church Landing Expansion Benefits From Mild Winter

Skiing and snowmobiling enthusiasts may not be happy with the lack of snow and cold temperatures this winter but the construction crew on the Church Landing expansion project are singing a different tune. The mild weather has taken the chill off of roofing in January and it has also allowed the crew to not only maintain their schedule but get ahead of it. The official date is still up in the air but May/June is the target now instead of July. Check out the latest photos taken on 2.10.12.

The Boathouse Lodge facing the water

The outdoor pergola being hoisted onto the rooftop patio.

The beginnings of another beautifully handcrafted fireplace by Scott King.

The Birch Lodge exterior facing the lake.

Church Landing And Conneston Construction, Inc. Take “Made In America Challenge” With Church Landing Phase II Expansion.

Project will be 95% Made in America Without Significant Increase in Cost.

Meredith, N.H. – The Inns & Spa at Mill Falls in Meredith, in conjunction with Conneston Construction, Inc. (CCI), of Gilford, have taken on the Made in America Challenge with the Church Landing Phase II expansion project.  The Made in America Challenge, an initiative of ABC-TV’s World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer, is based on the simple concept of buying products that are made in America and help put Americans back to work.

“ABC World News Tonight and Diane Sawyer have been touting the virtues of this idea on the show for some time and it sparked our interest here in Meredith as we are in the construction phase of the Church Landing expansion,” said Rusty McLear, president of The Inns & Spa at Mill Falls.  “We thought ‘Wouldn’t it be great to take this challenge, make this construction project Made in America, and  help create jobs for Americans?’”

CCI began construction this Fall on the Church Landing expansion, which features two new buildings with a total of 17,000  square feet of guest rooms, lounges and an indoor-outdoor pool.

“In a construction meeting in October, we went around the room and asked ourselves ‘Would it really be that hard to make sure as much, if not all, of the project was in fact manufactured in this country?’,” said Ross Currier, Vice President of CCI.  “We wondered that maybe a lot of what we’re already buying meets the definition of being Made in America. So that’s just what we did.”

According to Currier, all subcontractors were tasked with analyzing every single material to be used in the construction project to determine if everything being used is Made in America.

“If we determined it wasn’t Made in America, we asked ourselves, can we switch to a product that is domestically made?  Is there an option to buy it in the US? If there is, will we have to pay more?,” said Currier.  “These were the questions we asked ourselves, and what we discovered is that this expansion project could be 95% Made in America.”

McLear hopes this effort will help to serve as a blueprint for others looking to take the Made in America Challenge and help put Americans back to work.

“While it has taken some effort, this initiative has been well worth the time spent,” said McLear.  “We are proud to say this project is 95% American made.  Everything from the nails, the steel, the staples, the lumber and the bathtubs are domestically made.  The remaining 5% that we weren’t able to buy American included the limited access elevator that we plan to install.  That particular type of elevator is just not made in the U.S., but we are working with a manufacturer in Canada to supply that.  Additionally, a small amount of the electrical panels, breakers and other switching gear, as well some of the screws, nuts and bolts are made outside the U.S.”

Currier added that the team was able to realize that in some instances products were the same price, yet provided better quality

“By creating awareness of this effort, we have been able to create a Made in America development, and have not added substantially to the total budget, just $4,000 or so to overall cost,” added McLear. “Even though certain goods are more expensive, in total, the cost of the project is nearly identical – an effort well worth the time, awareness, and minimal increased expense,  especially if we can contribute to putting Americans to work.”

McLear noted that while several New Hampshire projects receiving federal stimulus funds are required to buy American made products, this construction project is the only privately funded project in New Hampshire to be Made in America.  According to findings on ABC-TV World News, if every builder bought just 5 percent more American materials it could create 220,000 jobs.

PHOTO: Looking down the waterfront at the new Lodges from Church Landing

It was a bitter cold morning on the job site but the crew was hammering away!

The Boathouse Lodge is getting windows, 12.29.11.

The Birch Lodge, 12.29.11.

The view from the pool at the Boathouse Lodge, 12.29.11.

Looking down the waterfront at the Lodges from Church Landing.

The walkway is almost complete, 12.29.11.

The New Lodges are Going Up!

Construction is moving right along at Church Landing!  Check out some of these photos of the progress so far . . .

The foundation for Birch Lodge, early November

The view of Lake Winnipesaukee from the soon-to-be Birch Lodge

Boathouse Lodge is taking shape! The open space is where the new pool will go in.

Front view of Boathouse Lodge

The view from Boathouse Lodge. Lake Shore Cottage can be seen on the right.

Construction at Church Landing is off to a Beautiful Start

While the foundations of two new lodges are being placed alongside the existing Lake Shore Cottage on Lake Winnipesaukee, the walkway that will connect all three buildings to Church Landing is well underway.

The Inns and Spa at Mill Falls recently broke ground on the construction of Birch Lodge and Boathouse Lodge as part of its Church Landing expansion project.  The new lodges will feature 13 additional deluxe rooms and suites that will offer spectacular views of Lake Winnipesaukee.  Guests who stay in the lodges and cottage will be able to stay safe and dry in all kinds of weather as they walk to and from Church Landing via a new covered cedar walkway.

Last winter, the Inns purchased over 400 cedar posts and rails from Sharp’s Lumber in the Lakes Region of NH.  The logs were harvested while they were frozen and stored in a temperature-controlled environment for 9 months as a way to keep the logs from shedding most of their bark.  The result is a very organic-looking walkway, where guests will feel as if they are strolling through a cedar grove!

The new buildings are expected to be finished by July of 2012, and we will continue to post updates and photos of the project as it develops.  Check back again soon!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

The Inns & Spa at Mill Falls Breaks Ground for Church Landing Expansion

Artist's rendering of Boathouse Lodge

Last Thursday, this lakeside resort broke ground for its latest project—an expansion that will bring 13 new deluxe lake-view rooms and suites, as well as 186 feet of additional lake frontage, to its most popular destination: Church Landing.

The Inns & Spa at Mill Falls has officially begun construction on Phase II of its Church Landing expansion, which will add two new buildings, The Birch Lodge and The Boathouse Lodge, to the south end of the property.  The new buildings are being constructed on either side of the existing Lake Shore Cottage, which was recently renovated to include two unique suites overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee.  All three buildings will be attached to Church Landing via a covered cedar walkway, and all rooms will offer spectacular lake views, balconies, and screened porches.  In addition, each room will have luxury amenities, including a fieldstone fireplace, wet bar, whirlpool bath, double glass and tile shower, and a bathroom LCD TV.

“We are thrilled to begin construction on this part of our expansion project,” says Rusty McLear, President and CEO of The Inns & Spa at Mill Falls.  “Church Landing at Mill Falls continues to be enjoyed by tourists and residents alike, and these additions will certainly enhance our guests’ experience.”

Breaking ground on Phase II construction at The Inns & Spa at Mill Falls are (left to right): Barry Leonard, Laconia Savings Bank; Tom Samyn, Samyn D’Elia; Rusty McLear, Mill Falls; Ward D’Elia, Samyn D’Elia; Bill Smith, CCI; Ross Currier, CCI; and Tim Marchand, Mill Falls.

Breaking ground on Phase II construction at The Inns & Spa at Mill Falls are (left to right): Barry Leonard, Laconia Savings Bank; Tom Samyn, Samyn D’Elia; Rusty McLear, Mill Falls; Ward D’Elia, Samyn D’Elia; Bill Smith, CCI; Ross Currier, CCI; and Tim Marchand, Mill Falls.

The expansion will also feature a new lobby and game area, a second indoor/outdoor pool with two Jacuzzis, an outdoor fire-pit and grille station for summer BBQs, a large sundeck with food and beverage service, and several new boat docks.

“We have a vast number of guests who regularly stay with us, and it’s exciting that each time they visit, we are adding more facilities and more options to consider, while keeping our focus on our core mission – unforgettable customer service,” says Gail Batstone, General Manager of The Inns & Spa at Mill Falls.  Adds Michelle Brown, Director of Marketing at The Inns, “Church Landing is our most reserved property and on many occasions it is sold out.”

The expansion will be able to accommodate more fans of the Inns as early as next July, when construction on the project is expected to be completed.  Phase I of the project was finished this past May, converting the carport at Church Landing into additional event space and dining areas.  The new facility, called “The Carriage House,” now boasts 1,700 square feet of meeting space, an expanded lobby area with fourteen-foot ceilings, and sweeping views of Lake Winnipesaukee.

The Church Landing expansion promises to enrich the experience of visitors to Meredith as well as locals who enjoy events and spa services at Church Landing.  It’s all part of the Inns’ mission to continually improve its facilities.  As Ms. Batstone explains, “We often hear the comment, ‘so, what are you adding this year?!”  Stay tuned on this new blog for all the renovation news as it develops!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team