The Lord Jeffrey Inn, known for having the most elegant rooms in town as well as the hardest ones to book, is finally set to undergo some necessary and extensive renovations. The inn was built in 1926 and is under the financial control of the College. The College recently revealed its plans to embark on a $5-million renovation and expansion of the hotel.

First on the list is upgrading the inn's facilities to comply with state building code. Further plans include: adding 20 more rooms to the 48 already in existence, applying for a historic site designation and adding new banquet areas, another restaurant and more parking spaces. Still under consideration are plans to knock down a house just east of the inn on Spring Street and to add a tented area between the inn and the Alumni House for outdoor events like reunions, which take place during warmer weather.

Operating at a deficit for the past few years, the inn could use a financial kick-start. An increased ability to accommodate banquets, weddings and other large functions could be just what it needs to see increased profit margins.

President Tony Marx, quoted in the Amherst Bulletin, referred to the inn as "a beachhead in the center of town" and "not the magnet it could be." These looming renovations will hopefully mark the beginning of a new and improved era of profitability and historic elegance for the famed Lord Jeff.