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Got milk? Former factory eyed for future hotel

City Winery's Michael Dorf (michaeldorf.com, iStock, Google Maps)
City Winery's Michael Dorf (michaeldorf.com, iStock, Google Maps)

An entrepreneur has designs on milking Hudson Valley’s post-pandemic tourism for all it’s worth.

Michael Dorf, founder and CEO of wine maker and music venue City Winery, is looking to turn a former milk factory in Walden into a hotel, the Times Union reported. The site is at 2860 Route 208, which previously operated for the Borden Dairy Company.

Dorf doesn’t want locals — himself included — to have a cow about the redevelopment, which he told the outlet he’s planning to name “The Milk Factory” in honor of its history.

“We’re embracing exactly what the building was,” Dorf told the Times Union. He told the outlet his past bike rides near the dilapidated factory were key in his idea to transform it into something modern.

The boutique hotel is slated to have 42 rooms, a mix of two- and three-bedroom suites. The property will include a pool, spa and gym. The hotel is set to rely on solar power and be a Net Zero property. It won’t host live music in the way City Winery does, but could someday serve as a wedding venue.

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A limited liability company linked to Dorf purchased the factory last month for $575,000, according to the Times Union. A conceptual plan was presented to the Walden planning board earlier in the month and a preliminary presentation is expected later in April.

The hotel and a planned restaurant, called “Moo,” would serve as a stopping point for those exercising on the Wallkill Valley Railroad corridor. On weekends, the hotel plans to have a bike valet with a special off-ramp to the hotel.

The entrepreneur’s proposal is still in the early stages and may not come before the planning board for several months.

Dorf hopes to open the restaurant in 2023 and follow with the hotel opening about six months later, according to the Times Union. Rates would range between $350 to $450 per night,

[Times Union] — Holden Walter-Warner

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DevelopmentHotelsHudson Valley