Kessler Buys Savannah’s Historic Kehoe House

NEW YORK— HOTEL BUSINESS® has learned Richard Kessler, president/CEO of The Kessler Collection, an eclectic mix of branded and independent properties, is adding Savannah, GA’s, historic William Kehoe House to his portfolio. Kessler, in New York Thursday night, June 19 to attend a presentation dinner at The James Beard House by five of his executive chefs, told HOTEL BUSINESS® he expected to close on the multimillion-dollar deal for the luxury boutique property within three weeks. “So we’re entering the bed-and-breakfast business, too,” said the executive, whose property portfolio includes the four-star Westin Grand Bohemian, the Doubletree Castle Hotel, the historic Casa Monica Hotel, Celebration Hotel, Sheraton Studio City Hotel, Hampton Inn Savannah North and the Red Horse Inn, which opened in April. Under development are the Mansion on Forsyth Park, also in Savannah, and the Colorado Nature Ranch, a 22,000-acre “western experience” slated to open this September in DeBeque, CO. “Interest rates obviously made this really feasible, and it worked,” said Kessler, who noted the Kehoe contains an elevator and two meeting rooms wherein 30 persons can be accommodated. The 15-key property, located at 123 Habersham St. in Savannah’s historic district, consists of the original Renaissance Revival mansion built in 1892 on Columbia Square by William Kehoe as a family home and a three-unit townhouse across a garden courtyard. “In addition to that, what I really liked about it was a piece of land came with it— a parking lot where historic buildings used to be only they tore them down years ago— and we’ll be developing that into additional condominiums or rooms. We’re analyzing all that right now,” said Kessler. “That will be a project we’ll be starting on next year.” The CEO would not disclose the exact price for the 15,000-square-foot property, which is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, but acknowledged it cost between $2 million and $3 million. “It was very reasonable. It was a good value for what we bought,” he said. “The property’s in very good condition.” Kessler, a native of Savannah known for interweaving pieces of his private art and antiques collections at his properties, indicated the William Kehoe House would see some refreshing. “We have a whole team of people lined up to do a little quick renovation and redecorating. We’re repositioning it. We want to create the only five-diamond B&B in Savannah. We’re really excited about it.”