Williams Lake Project Origins
A Recent Photo of the Former Williams Lake Hotel
The Williams Lake Project began in response to a request to find a beautiful natural setting for a sustainable resort spa within driving distance of the metropolitan New York City area.
After 80 years of operation as a family resort, Anita Williams Peck, owner of the Williams Lake Hotel, put the property on the market in 2004. Though the Williams Lake Hotel created countless memories for the local community, the hotel was losing money year after year and was in dire need of capital investment. Anita recognized the only way Williams Lake could continue was with investment in a new vision of the Williams Lake Resort that would be economically sustainable.
Anita entertained many offers on the property. However, she was committed to selling to someone who would continue to protect the land as her family had done for over 80 years and would keep the property on the tax roll.
In a visit to Williams Lake in June of 2006, Anita overheard an employee of Canopy Development (which would soon after found Hudson River Valley Resorts) say: “Look, there already is a Conservation Easement in place…”. With that, Anita knew she had found the company in which she would entrust her family’s legacy.
The Williams Lake Project began in 2006 with extensive site walks and conversations with Anita regarding the history of the Williams Lake Hotel, Dietrich Werner (Century House Historical Society) regarding the site’s industrial cement history and biologists from the NY Department of Environmental Conservation Endangered Species Division (regarding bats). During 2006, Hudson River Valley Resorts began to assemble detailed information on the site including topographic maps, an extensive natural resource inventory of plant and wildlife species and information on the site’s industrial cement history. Planning and community outreach followed shortly thereafter.
In late 2007, the Williams Lake Project formally initiated the SEQR process and has worked diligently since then to document potential environmental impacts and mitigation strategies from the proposed development.
During the SEQR process, the Williams Lake Project has continued community outreach activities and has hosted or sponsored numerous recreational, educational and charitable events on the property.