Talcott Lodge
The grand and historic craftsman style mansion originally named The Pines was built in 1928 at the center of the more than 3,000-acre Symington/Talcott estate that is now The Pinehills community of Plymouth. Our client, the Old Sandwich Golf Club’s Talcott Lodge, is only the third occupant in the building’s history. Located off the rural Sandwich Road (established in the late 17th Century) the mansion and its grounds reflected the original owner’s desire for a sophisticated, rusticated, woodland retreat focused on game hunting and fishing. Maintaining the original character was critical to our client but the retreat aspect is now focused on playing golf.
| Project Category | Civic / Resort |
|---|---|
| Scope of Work | Architecture, Construction |
| Finished Space Above Grade | 7,510 |
| Photography | Brian Vanden Brink, Shelly Harrison |
As a restoration and conversion project, structural and plan changes were minimal but new finishes and systems occurred inside and out, allowing a single family home to become a commercial guest house for golf club members.
On the exterior, roofing and siding were replaced with red cedar shakes to match the original. All windows were replaced with new insulated glass windows that otherwise match the historic windows. Original working drawings and construction photos indicated that the building had changed little over the years and helped expedite our restoration. Under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Historic Commission, all historic preservation requirements were met or exceeded.
The entry is grand and welcoming. Past photos and drawings of the lodge hang on the wall as a celebration of its history.
Another nod to the history is a desk area, where original room keys are mostly still on their hooks. There are comfortable communal spaces for gathering, such as the living room where you can watch golf, sit by the fire or have a drink at the new bar pavilion, and also spaces for quiet retreat, such as the library.
On the first floor, a bar pavilion and service/display cabinetry were designed and built and inserted into the grand living and dining rooms. A new commercial kitchen and a fire sprinkler system were installed. The private portions of the second floor in both the main house and service wing were subtly reconfigured to create luxury guest suites.
