SACKETS HARBOR — Businessman and mayor Alex Morgia made sure on Monday that the village’s only hotel will remain a hotel.
Hearing talk that the building might be turned into apartments, Mr. Morgia purchased the quaint Harbor House Inn on General Smith Drive.
He closed on the deal on Monday. The purchase price was $1.72 million.
It was important for the village tourism industry to keep the inn a hotel, he said.
“It would be difficult for tourism in the village without a hotel,” he said.
Mr. Morgia bought the inn from John Maxon, who owned the business as Sackets Harbor Leasing Co. LLC.
The inn was put on the market a while ago after general manager Tomm L. and Marsha A. Maxon moved to Rochester to be close to their grandchildren.
He heard prospective buyers talked about converting the 29-room hotel into apartments or condos.
Some of its guests end up coming to Sackets Harbor to attend weddings, parties and other special events at the Sackets Harbor Ballroom, located just around the corner on West Main Street, he said.
Partygoers can just walk over from their rooms at the inn to The Ballroom, Mr. Morgia said.
“It would be tough to bus people into Sackets for their events,” he said. “We’re the only community that has this.”
The Harbor House Inn will keep its name, Mr. Morgia said. In 2017, the Maxons renamed the establishment from the Ontario Place Hotel after going through a major refurbishment.
Several years ago, the Maxons — the only family ever to operate the inn — renovated the first and second floors of the 29-room hotel.
Mr. Morgia plans to renovate the third floor with the same bed and breakfast feel of the other two floors, he said. The rooms feature a country style with hardwood floors, chandeliers, luggage racks, chests and crown molding.
He also plans to install an elevator to the third floor. Now, its only access is stairs.
The inn will be open all year round, Mr. Morgia said, noting it can attract holiday travelers visiting the north country, Mr. Morgia said.
Elisha Maxon will stay on as the inn’s manager. The hotel employs 17 workers.
Mr. Morgia also owns a wine store in Sackets Harbor and an e-commerce logistics company in Watertown.
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