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Essex Zoning Officials Consider Application to Convert Former Day Spa in Essex

The Essex Planning & Zoning Commission voted on Jan. 4 to close a public hearing and continue discussion at its next meeting on a special use permit that would allow for a private wellness center at 63 South Main Street. The applicant, Essex House, LLC, is proposing to convert the buildings of the former Spa of Essex into residential suites for private clients, according to Terrance Lomme, who is an agent for the applicant.

“The idea is to restore that property back to its glory days when it was actually a sea captain’s house and the property, as you all may remember, was just spectacular back then,” said Lomme.

The former Spa of Essex consisted of three buildings on 2.79 acres. It was sold last summer to Heidi Kunzli of Essex House, LLC. Kunzli operates Privé Swiss Wellness in Ivoryton, which offers a range of healthcare services.

The proposal includes converting the main building into eight residential suites that would not be open to the public, removing the garage apartment building and renovating the brick ranch house for one additional residential suite, according to Lomme.

“The idea being that it would be more consistent with a residential neighborhood and much less traffic in and out,” said Lomme, adding that clients would go offsite for treatment during the day, except on evenings and weekends.

Lomme and Kunzli responded to concerns raised from the commission about the potential use of the suites by the public and how the use fits within existing regulations.

“This is not some place that you can go and just say, ‘Gee, I want to come in for the weekend and stay here.’ It’s not that kind of situation at all...[W]e’d be happy with a condition that says the minimum stay would be two weeks,” said Lomme.

Kunzli described the activities associated with her business as “an executive renewal program,” and that a thorough screening process is used to admit clients who would be using the private residential suites.

“The whole brand is centered on very high functioning, successful individuals that have gotten derailed because of stress, burnout, which could be [leading to] depression, anxiety, relationship issues, insomnia,” said Kunzli. “We have people that come in totally burnt out with adrenal fatigue that need to get on supplements and such, so it is a criteria” for selecting participants.

Lomme added, “This is a long way from someone checking in because they are a drug addict. That’s not what this is. This is, again, the residential part of executive burn out. I mean these are executives from a variety of companies that come here just to restore themselves and get better and then get back to work.”

Several neighboring property owners attended the Jan. 4 public hearing including Theresa Douglas, who spoke in favor of the application.

“I would welcome Heidi and her clients to be my new neighbors,” said Douglas. “I’ve seen what Privé Swiss has done to the Ivoryton location. It looks beautiful.

“I believe that Privé Swiss is well known throughout the world, and you know, you look at the current space that it is right now, it’s less than desirable. It’s kind of an eye sore and again, I would welcome her and her clients to be my new neighbors,” Douglas continued.

The proposal is scheduled for a vote at the commission’s next regularly scheduled meeting in February.