Starwood Hotels has engaged Forrest Richardson to prepare a comprehensive master plan for its Colonial Hotel & Conference Center property in Boston, Massachusetts. The property includes an 18-hole golf course designed by the late William Mitchell.
Richardson has teamed with Mark Fine, a regular collaborator to Richardson’s work in the east. “Mark and I are committed to preserving the classic feel of Colonial,” notes Richardson. “While the course has suffered over the years, it is a wonderful setting and a remarkable environmental story.”
Indeed, the land on which Colonial sits borders a marsh and river system that crosses Interstate 95 before connecting to the Atlantic. The golf course is home to many species of birds and fish, as well as being a great open space for the community.
“Colonial is a fun course to play,” says Richardson, “but we are looking to expand on that theme.” Initial schematic designs call for Colonial’s clubhouse to be relocated, freeing up acreage to make the golf course more open and spacious. Long range plans call for eventual development of about 20 acres along Interstate 95, the busiest transportation corridor in the United States.
The golf course is currently managed by Troon Golf Management under an agreement with Starwood. The timetable for implementation of the master plan recommendations has not been determined.