Harris Sea Ranch for sale: 'Exceptional opportunity' to redevelop Hampton Beach property

HAMPTON — The Harris Sea Ranch is up for sale after decades on the beach as one of its staple motels.

Founded by Ralph Harris and long run by the Houle family, the Sea Ranch was put up for sale without an asking price listed. Commercial broker Christopher Brown said the property is “unpriced,” but its advertisement puts a spotlight on the property’s potential.

“With its desirable location, Sea Ranch presents an exceptional opportunity for hospitality, multi-family, casino redevelopment,” the ad reads .

The motel was closed this summer for the second straight season. Brown provided a statement from the owner Marylee Twomey thanking guests who have enjoyed the motel over the years.

“The Harris Sea Ranch would like to thank its many guests who have stayed with us over the years,” the statement read. “Many truly became friends.”

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Harris Sea Ranch a staple at Hampton Beach for more than 60 years

Harris Sea Ranch has been on the beach since it was built in 1958, according to town records. In its day, the motel was one of the best on the beach, according to longtime business owners.

Tom McGuirk, who owns McGuirk’s Ocean View , said his mother used to tell him about the decorative horses on display outside the motel. She said that was how she knew she was close to home.

“My mother would say it was always the nicest motel establishment in Hampton,” McGuirk said.

McGuirk said the motel was built at a time when many hotels had a mid-century modern design. Others on the beach like that included the Surf and the Tides motels that were once on the front strip.

“Harris Sea Ranch is the last of those where it has that great beachy look to it from the mid-century,” McGuirk said. “It was a great little establishment.”

Twomey did not return a call seeking comment this week. Her family bought the hotel from the Harris family in 1975, according to her mother Sally Houle’s obituary . McGuirk said she and her family have done a good job over the years running the motel and that guests who visit McGuirk’s Ocean View from the Harris Sea Ranch are always “the best customers.”

Bob Preston, Jr., whose family runs Preston Real Estate, said his father, longtime state senator Bob Preston , was good friends with Twomey before he died in 2021. He said Twomey always let him have a parking space at her motel so he could easily walk to one of his favorite establishments, Ocean Gaming, next door.

“She said Bob, whatever he wants,” Preston, Jr., said. “She was very kind.”

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What is the future of Harris Sea Ranch property?

As Twomey looks to sell the Harris Sea Ranch, her real estate ad emphasizes the property’s location. The statement provided by her agent calls it a “rare opportunity to acquire a significant amount of ocean frontage in the heart of Hampton Beach’s commercial district.”

It notes the property is directly across the street from “the widest sandy part of Hampton Beach” and is between the busy section between A and N Street. That stretch includes the Hampton Beach Casino and popular restaurants like McGuirk’s, Bernie’s Beach Bar, the Sea Ketch and Boardwalk Café.

“Hampton Beach continues to be one of the top destinations in New England as evident by the record Fourth of July crowds this year,” the Harris Real Estate’s statement reads. “Those crowds will continue to increase and extend year-round as there are some other exciting developments at the beach on the horizon.”

The beach is in a moment of transition where many are looking to renovate and expand their properties. The Sea Ketch recently announced plans to add an extension of their restaurant that would reshape the corner of G Street and Ocean Boulevard. The owners of the Hampton Beach Casino are contemplating a $600 million expansion and renovation of that property that could extend across two blocks from F to C Street.

Next door to the Harris Sea Ranch, the gaming room recently renamed Beach Club Casino has undergone a complete remodel under new owner Greg Carlin. Carlin’s team said they could not immediately provide a comment on whether Carlin was interested in taking over the Sea Ranch.

McGuirk, also a Realtor on the beach, said the lot size is substantial compared to many of the properties that were only 50 by 100 square feet. The Harris Sea Ranch property is listed as being 19,352 square feet across three parcels.

McGuirk said the beach still needs hotels and motels for tourists to ensure it remains a family beach.

“There is a desperate need to keep Hampton Beach family-friendly and tourist-friendly,” McGuirk said. “That is absolutely needed, and that’s a great spot for that.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Harris Sea Ranch for sale: 'Exceptional opportunity' to redevelop Hampton Beach property