By Kate Bartlett
The Lenhart Hotel in Bemus Point is moving forward with plans for a rooftop bar– Bemus Sky. Plans were approved by the Bemus Point Planning and Zoning Board on Thursday, May 15, and the owners are excited to get started on the next phase and share details with the public.
Chautauqua Lake and beautiful Bemus Point.
Upon completion, Bemus Sky will offer 360-degree views of the area including Chautauqua Lake and beautiful Bemus Point. The bar will be comprised of three main patios named for three prominent cities, as well as the area they point towards: 716 (Chautauqua/Buffalo), 216 (Cleveland) and 412 (Pittsburgh). The main focus will be the 360 panoramic views and the sky, offering specialty cocktails, champagne sunset toasts, wine and food pairings.
to the roof top bar area and an elevator will service the roof
area. The public will have full access to the rooftop bar, including
a four-season bar and cupola that will straddle the
main staircase and can be seen from the first floor.
William and Jill Curry (Bemus Point Holdings, LLC) took ownership of this iconic property on May 2 of this year, and are excited to redevelop and reopen this historic building. They each bring many years of expertise in this industry, Bill with 45+ years of designing and building in the Pittsburgh area, and Jill with 40+ years in hospitality. “We are so very excited to get this project underway,” says Bill. “We are looking forward to bringing this vision to reality.” They’re joined by Colin Curry (finance manager), Abi Iriti (marketing and sales), Nino Iriti (bar manager) and, Stuart Curry, Lindsay and Tilman Nadolski as advisory committee members.
Many years ago, under different ownership, The Hotel Lenhart suffered a large fire in the attic of the property, forever changing its appearance. When it was rebuilt, it was designed with a flat roof. Bill and Jill decided to utilize this space to build a rooftop space for their reimagined Hotel Lenhart, planned to reopen in approximately 1 year.
The original bar top from the Lamplighter bar will be relocated to the roof top bar area and an elevator will service the roof area. The public will have full access to the rooftop bar, including a four-season bar and cupola that will straddle the main staircase and can be seen from the first floor.
Bill and Jill are dedicated to maintain the charm of this historic property. “We plan to renovate the property, giving it a fresh, updated look and feel, while maintaining its historic cham,” says Jill. “We’ve put the rocking chairs away during renovations, but they will definitely return once we reopen!”
The public is invited to visit the hospitality tent located on the hotel’s property for updates regarding the rooftop bar project, as well as the hotel property renovations. “We’re very excited to share our plans with the public,” says Jill. “We want to share our excitement with the public, and can’t wait for everyone to join us in this new space.”
For more information, visit HotelLenhart.com follow on social media, email info@hotellenhart.com and follow The Villager for updates.