Kaufman House renovations might start in June
ZELIENOPLE — The journey to reopen the Kaufman House by next spring continues to gain ground.
Bids to renovate the restaurant and hotel will be accepted until May 16 by the Butler County Tourism Foundation.
A prebid meeting on Wednesday was attended by about a dozen companies.
“Hopefully that will give us some good prices back for the proposals,” said Joseph Saeler, assistant director and manager of operations for the Community Development Corporation of Butler County.
Construction costs have not been determined.
Saeler said there has been great interest in the building's reopening.
“A lot of people have been asking, and I think Zelienople itself is excited to see something get revitalized and back to servicing the area,” he said.
Tourism foundation President Jack Cohen said construction on the Kaufman House should begin in June if all goes according to plan.
The project is part of the borough's revitalization project.
A municipal parking lot, also part of the revitalization project, is planned behind the building. It will have 111 parking spaces.
The other phase of the revitalization includes improving Main Street's sidewalks and intersections.
Restoration of the Kaufman House will receive funds through loans, grants and private financing.
The project has received a $780,000 grant from the state. It also received a $500,000 state loan that will be paid back over 12 years.
Cohen said the tourism bureau and the borough are trying to get additional grant money.
Cohen said the restored hotel portion of the building will have 18 rooms, about 12 fewer than before. The hotel portion has not been used since the 1970s.
Other amenities that need repairs include electric, plumbing, air conditioning and interior work.
“It's really gutting the building and rebuilding it,” Cohen said.
The tourism foundation also is in talks with Butler County Community College to provide internship opportunities at the Kaufman House to culinary arts and hospitality management students.
The Kaufman House opened in 1902 and closed in 2011 after a kitchen fire.
