ZELIENOPLE — The Butler County Tourism Foundation has decided to issue rebids for the Kaufman House restoration project.

Tourism foundation president Jack Cohen said initial bids for the project came in higher than expected.

“We’ve asked the engineers to redo the plan,” Cohen said.

He did not elaborate on initial bid costs.

The new expected date when bids will be issued is June 20.

Cohen said the process should delay the construction starting date by “a week at most.”

The Kaufman House’s restoration and renovation project is part of the borough’s Main Street Revitalization Project and is expected to reopen in 2017.

The building first opened in 1902 and closed in 2011 after a kitchen fire devastated it.

Since then, efforts have gained momentum. Grants of $780,000 and $500,000 were received by the foundation earlier this month.

The hotel portion of the project is expected to cost between $2.3 million and $2.5 million, with 18 guest rooms to be restored. The hotel area has not been used since the 1970s.

The renovated building also will provide internship opportunities for culinary arts and hospitality management students from Butler County Community College.