Ridgefield, CT Gets A New Eco-Friendly Bed & Breakfast: green ROCKS

January 23rd, 2008 categories: Eat, Drink and Be Amused, Green Living, Local Events, Ridgefield, Talking Real Estate

How green ROCKS Inn, a B&B was Born…

This is a story about how creativity and thinking out of the box can change lives and enhance an entire town.

We had a listing in Ridgefield that is quite amazing! It is a beautiful 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath, 4500 sq. ft. home, built at the end of 2004. The house sits on nearly two serene acres abutting many acres of Ridgefield Open Space.

We put the house on the market at the beginning of 2006 and thought it would sell rather quickly. After all, it was brand new, luxury construction on spectacular property convenient to everything! We did everything imaginable to get this house sold, including holding an estate sale at the property to draw buyers. The main reason the house failed to sell was that it is on Rt. 35 (Danbury Rd.) in Ridgefield, a main road, somewhat close to a gas station. It finally became apparent that, unless they dropped the price below their comfort level, it was not going to happen in the current market. I thought, and thought about our dilemma, and finally came up with a possible solution.

In the nearly two years that I have come to know Barbara Simkins and Kim Wanamaker, the owners of this home, we became very close friends. I would lie awake at night trying to figure out what else to do to get the house sold. Then, one evening, while having tapas at The Olive Market, in Redding, it came to me (Tapas are brain food, evidentially).

Since the house was close to everything (including the gas station), set back from a main road, near to town…the location would be perfect for a luxurious bed and breakfast! The next day, I met with them to propose the idea.

Barbara and Kim, who are two of the warmest and most industrious people I have ever met, loved the idea, and immediately began planning and making the changes necessary to turn the home into a B&B. They decided to take it one step further. It will be an all organic, eco-friendly, green business that compliments their passion for conservation, and the wellness business they started two years ago. The B&B will be called green ROCKS Inn, and will serve breakfast from local merchants and organic farms and is all-natural & “green” from the air and water purification systems right down to the organic bedding and special, firmness adjustable mattresses that promote an incredible night’s sleep and a general feeling of wellness.
The application for the B&B went in front of the Town of Ridgefield Planning & Zoning commission in December, where the board unanimously approved their special permit to operate a Bed and Breakfast in a Residential Zone. Ridgefield Press: B&B to open in Ridgefield

green ROCKS Inn , and will be opening in early-mid February. I am very excited about their venture, and proud that to have played a part in helping to make “lemonade out of lemons”. The website for green ROCKS is www.greenrocksinn.com. You can go on-line and tour the place, even check availability.

This adventure has been one of the most fulfilling experiences I have had as a Realtor, so far.

More to come on green Rocks Inn, and green living on Real Estate Chocolate…please come back…often!