Lake Wyola Lodge
Lake Wyola State Park, Shutesbury, MA
Overview
The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) manages one of the largest Historic Curatorship Programs in the country. Through the program, "Curators" exchange their investment in the restoration of historic park buildings for a long-term lease equal to the value of the rehabilitation. The historic Lake Wyola Lodge, set within a 40-acre state forest, on property overlooking a pristine lake, is interested in your ideas for the next use of this property and your plan for its restoration!
View of Lodge and Barn, Early 20th Century
The Lake Wyola Lodge consists of three sections: the original structure (left-most wing) is a late eighteenth-century Federal house built circa 1785; the middle section was added in the early nineteenth century; the right-hand section was added circa 1840. The house and barn have served many functions over the past three centuries, from an 18th and 19th century farmhouse to a tavern and inn during the second half of the 19th century, to a popular vacation resort in the 20th century.
When the Lodge was converted into a resort by the Bennett Family in the early-mid 20th century, the first floor was converted to a dining room, kitchen, parlor and bar, while the second story was divided into nine guest rooms and a dance hall.
Former dance hall and shuffleboard court
Most of the original historical finishes in the interior of the building have been lost from decades of rehabilitation. The barn is used for DCR operations and will continue to remain in DCR’s control for this purpose.
Typical second floor room
Property Details
Square Footage
5,818 square feet, three bathrooms, nine bedrooms, multiple dining areas.
Septic System
Title V compliant septic system for bathhouse was built to accommodate the house (9 bedrooms). Connections to new plumbing system will be required.
Plumbing System
DCR-maintained public water supply (well) in good condition. Will likely require mostly new plumbing system and fixtures.
Electric System
Existing 200 amp service, but will require entirely new wiring and appliances.
Roof
The slate roofs are in fair condition and will require some repairs.
Structure
The structural integrity of both buildings is fair to good, although removal of interior finishes is required to fully analyze framing condition. The center section of the building will require reinforcement of the exterior walls.
Interior Elements
Most of the historic finishes inside the building have been lost, with the exception of some flooring, some doors and the bar and dance hall, which retain their mid-20th century appearance.
Exterior Elements
The front of the building has been scraped and primed. The rear will need to be scraped and primed and the entire house will need to be repainted. Some clapboard repair will be required. Most of the window sash have been restored, though interior components will need to be repaired to make the sash operable. In 2014, DCR removed and restored the front porches, which had been severely deteriorated and damaged by a fallen tree.
The barn will remain in use by DCR operations.
There is a small, one-story 16’ by 25’ ft cabin on the premises that may be available to a potential Curator.
Preservation Cost
Estimated $631,969* in rehabilitation costs required.
*Please keep in mind that the cost estimates represent the value of the work if DCR was to hire contractors to perform all work. Most Curators leverage some amount of sweat equity towards a good deal of the required work or lower the cost through other means.
Property Tour
Potential Uses
Historic Curatorship Program
Within the Commonwealth’s 450,000 acres of state parks and forests are a number of unused, historically significant buildings. The Historic Curatorship Program, established in 1994, is a national model that has helped DCR preserve several of these underutilized but historically significant properties by partnering with outside parties who exchange rehabilitation, management and maintenance services for credit towards a long-term lease. As a result, DCR secures the long-term preservation of historic sites threatened by vandalism and the elements, and Curators live or work in a unique setting.
Curatorship properties are preserved through a wide range of reuses – residential, non-profit, for profit, hospitality and museums. Curators are selected through an open and competitive process and proposed reuses must be compatible with the historic and natural character of the park or forest. Proposals are evaluated according to the experience of the applicant, the quality of the reuse plan, proof of sufficient resources to undertake the project, and level of public benefit beyond providing the required biannual public access. Average lease terms range from 20 to 30 years.
For more information about the Historic Curatorship Program, please visit https://tinyurl.com/hcp-ma or contact hcp.requests@mass.gov .
Brochure for Lake Wyola, c. 1960s
Submit Your Vision
Do you have an idea that could shape a restored Lake Wyola Lodge and bring it back to life? If so, you may be Lake Wyola Lodge's next Curator. DCR invites you to respond to this Request for Expressions of Interest by submitting a brief narrative of the proposed reuse concept, a statement of qualifications and a brief outline of the feasibility of the proposed project.
Send your submission via email it to hcp.requests@mass.gov.
If you hav any questions or would like to schedule a tour, email Ethan Parsons at ethan.parsons@mass.gov. Please cc fiona.riley@mass.gov.
Submissions must be under 15 mb to be reviewed.
Please note: Responses to the RFEI are public documents and will be utilized by DCR to develop the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the property. This is not a formal Request for Proposals, and a response to this RFEI does not legally bind the respondent to the Historic Curatorship Program or DCR in any way.
