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Managing partner seeking right buyer for historic property 

 

TRYON—After taking over as the owner and managing partner of the 1906 Pinecrest Inn in recent weeks, Sarah Huff is determined to find the right buyer to restore the historic property to its former glory while preserving its rich history and legacy.

After 12 years of litigation, the 1906 Pine Crest Inn is finally under Huff and her team’s care. She and realtor Chris Gragtmans are looking at numerous options, including working with historical societies to benefit the future owner. They are also open to ideas from the surrounding neighborhood. 

“We are willing to co-broker with any agent in the area that is interested,” stated Huff. “It will have a lockbox and will be easy to be shown. We may lease the restaurant or some of the cottages. But our primary goal is to get the inn sold and refurbished. Lots of options are being considered.”

Located off Pine Crest Lane, the Pinecrest Inn is a historic resort with a historic past. Originally built in 1906 as the Thermal Belt Sanatorium for tuberculosis care, the property was converted to an inn in 1917. The buildings, which are in a Classical-Revival style, feature pedimented gables and attached one-story shed porches supported by Tuscan-order columns. 

The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Famous writers Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, as well as actors like David Niven, enjoyed staying at the inn. 

The Pinecrest Inn offers a slice of history with its unique collection of buildings, including ten cottages, some of which were built by Pinecrest Inn developer Carter Brown. In 1997, the inn expanded with the addition of a two-story conference center. 

Huff expressed her optimism about finding the perfect buyer. 

“The fabulous Tryon neighborhood that surrounds the inn welcomed me and my realtor with open arms, and we are all very positive that one of our interested parties will be the perfect buyer for the Pinecrest and help make it one of the top inns in Western North Carolina again,” she said.

Chris Gragtmans, based in Asheville, is the list agent and can be contacted at chris.gragtmans@kw.com. With Sarah Huff’s dedication and the Pinecrest Inn’s historical significance, its next chapter promises to be exciting.