Re-imagined Royal Hotel, destined to be a parking lot, now soon to re-open

By Tom Harrison
While a citizen group continues it fight with the provincial government to save two historic tourism destination homes at Sandbanks, one supporter will soon see his project – a massive transformation from near dereliction – come back to life.

The crumbling east wall of the Royal in 2017. –  James Lowery photo.

In support of the stay of demolition of the Hyatt and MacDonald homes, Picton’s Royal Hotel developer Greg Sorbara last month urged the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks to “set aside its plan to demolish, and seek third-party proposals to re-imagine the properties in a way that respects the County’s cultural heritage.”

He pointed many redevelopments in the community, and his family’s project – The Royal on Main Street Picton – which he noted was “difficult to imagine a building in worse shape, and the property was most certainly destined to be torn down for a parking lot”.

Today, the re-construction of Picton’s Royal Hotel is “almost ready to go” said project lead Sol Korngold. At the site, the buzz of saws and ongoing brickwork shows the tremendous effort now being made to finish the building. Korngold, who expects a ‘soft’ opening in December, is looking forward to starting operations following the lengthy renovation.

Korngold describes the modernized Royal as a “lively” space in the heart of downtown Picton. The glazed glass frontage will permit a dynamic view into the interior ground floor. Patrons will enter through main doors to experience three open spaces, including a 40-seat parlour and restaurant/bar, a boutique shop, and a station to provide coffee, and fresh baked goods.

Other hotel features will include a spa, small gym, a meeting room and a rear garden area with a pool that Korngold describes as a “really fun and buzzy space”, with both music and food service.

“We really hope the Royal will be a place for everyone in the community, not just guests,” said Korngold.

Staff recruitment, he said, is under way and will continue for some time. Several positions are posted on the Royal’s website, and he ultimately expects to hire 35 to 40 people, with increases during busier periods. He also notes the kitchen is also almost ready for Chef Albert Ponzo, to begin preparations.

For his part, Ponzo is “really excited” that the Royal’s menu is being finalized. It will feature food that is locally-inspired and seasonally driven. Much of the menu will be Italian themed, with things like pasta and pizza, but there will be a range of options incorporating products from Edwin County Farm in Northport. Ponzo is enthusiastic that the sugarbush on the property will provide a chance to experiment with a range of maple-infused creations.

Sorbara, former Ontario finance minister, whose family bought the Royal Hotel property in 2013, estimates the recent pandemic disruptions slowed construction by four to five months. The delays were the latest in a series of challenges the family met and over came. In 2017 the east wall of the building subsided, causing work to stop while engineers secured the wall to the bedrock.

For the opening, Sorbara notes there are a lot of little things yet to come. All the doors need to be hung, painting finished; and all the materials for a busy hotel, like cutlery and linens, have to be acquired. He notes the second building, the ‘Royal Annex’ located at 6 Ross Street, is just about prepared for cladding, but its completion will take a little longer than the main structure. The Main Street location will feature 28 rooms, while the Annex will have five.

Local historian Peter Lockyer notes the Royal was originally built as a small-town railway hotel after Picton was linked to the wider world by train in the late 1800s.

He describes that in its early days, anyone who had to do business in town, or who sought a little luxury, stayed at the Royal. Rare for its time, guests could enjoy private baths in a space that owners boasted was a ‘Home away from Home’.

Though its fortunes waxed and waned, for more than 140 years the building has remained an important part of County history. The place was bought by long-time Mayor Harvey McFarland in 1953, and even enjoyed a brief visit from American politician Richard Nixon in 1957.

When told that then vice-president Nixon once stopped at the hotel for a cool drink, current proprietor Greg Sorbara laughs.

“If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have bought it,” he jokes.

Changing ownership and the loss of the local rail station meant declining fortunes for the hotel by the 1970s and 80s. The place finally closed more than a decade ago and became derelict.

Lockyer praises the current project which he considers as a model of what can be done to preserve local history. The new owners, he said, show a “personal commitment to heritage”, while at the same time are making “a bet on the future.” In reflecting about all the County has to offer, Lockyer adds “it’s a good bet.”

As the Royal readies for its re-birth, Sorbara is happy and grateful for the community’s backing of the project.

“As we come to the end of the journey, we are so appreciative of the support we’ve received from the people of the County.” He pauses to add, “our family is deeply engaged in Prince Edward,” noting their work to renew the downtown Picton landmark has become a “matter of pride.”

The Royal Hotel, Picton, 1910