Hendricks Churchill Transforms Vermont Seminary into Place in Mind Hospitality Venture
Rafe Churchill, an architect and co-founder of Hendricks Churchill, is set to revitalize Mount Anthony Seminary in Old Bennington, Vermont, turning it into the flagship site for a new hospitality venture named Place in Mind. Proposed by managing director Casey Sunderland, this initiative focuses on converting American landmarks into distinctive accommodations. The previously overlooked Seminary is slated to open in early fall, alongside the Walloomsac Inn. A Bennington College graduate, Churchill recognized the building's potential, remarking, "Every house I've ever bought was the one nobody else wanted." The restoration process involved thorough archival research and acquiring art and furnishings through auctions. Churchill advocates for a preservation approach that captures the essence of buildings while respecting their historical significance.
Key facts
- Mount Anthony Seminary in Old Bennington, Vermont, has been transformed into the flagship property of Place in Mind, a new hospitality company.
- The project was led by architect Rafe Churchill, co-founder of Hendricks Churchill, with managing director Casey Sunderland.
- Place in Mind was inspired by Sunderland's suggestion to establish an inn at the seminary.
- The Seminary will open in early fall as the first property in Place in Mind's portfolio.
- The nearby Walloomsac Inn, one of Vermont's oldest hotels, will soon join the portfolio.
- The restoration included reconstructing a long-lost bell tower based on archival research.
- Art and furnishings include works by Keith Haring and Hudson River School painters, and vintage furniture by Edward Wormley and Guillerme et Chambron.
- Churchill's philosophy: 'Preservation doesn't have to be purism.'
Entities
Artists
- Rafe Churchill
- Heide Hendricks
- Casey Sunderland
- Keith Haring
- Edward Wormley
- Guillerme et Chambron
Institutions
- Hendricks Churchill
- Place in Mind
- Mount Anthony Seminary
- Walloomsac Inn
- Bennington College
Locations
- Vermont
- Old Bennington
- Berkshires