Zelie buying landmark
ZELIENOPLE — The Kaufman House will change hands this week.
The Butler County Tourism Foundation is selling the Main Street restaurant and hotel to the borough with the transaction becoming official Wednesday. A news release from the foundation states the BCTF is “unable to see the project through.”
“It is in the best interest of (the) Kaufman House and BCTF to keep the project alive by selling the property to the borough of Zelienople,” the release states. “All necessary steps are being taken to position (the) Kaufman House for a successful sale and both parties are committed to making a seamless transition.”
The Kaufman House, which closed in 2011 after a kitchen a fire and is part of the borough's revitalization project, was purchased in December 2015 by the foundation from the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau.
The goal was to restore the building to its original shape and operate the property as a restaurant, coffee shop, lounge and a boutique hotel with 18 rooms.
Borough council President Allen Bayer said the tourism foundation could not get the grant funding sought for the project.
Talks between the borough and the tourism foundation for the transfer began last year.
“It was clear something had to be done to assist the project to fruition,” borough manager Don Pepe said.
However, Pepe said the hotel portion will not be renovated and reopened, citing costs and aesthetics.
“It would cost a significant amount of money,” he said. “It was a perfectly great idea, but we felt the restaurant was the primary scope of the building to open again.”
It is unknown what will happen to the extra space that would have held the hotel. Pepe said rooms may be part of future works.
Despite the change in ownership, the borough will continue restoration efforts. The tourism foundation will also continue to work with the borough on the project.
The foundation's news release states the foundation has invested a “significant amount” of money to restore the Kaufman House and a “substantial amount” of those funds will remain devoted to the success of the restoration.
Zelienople officials said borough funds will not be used, but instead grant money acquired by the foundation will go toward the project. About $780,000 in state grant money was received last year for the renovation.
“We'll take that money and use it for the purchase of the property and exterior work,” Pepe said. “We're just basically completing what the tourism foundation had for it.”
Exterior construction on the building will cost about $280,000. Costs for interior work have not been determined.
It is unknown if the ownership change will delay the opening of the Kaufman House. It was to open this spring with repairs scheduled for electric, plumbing, air conditioning, interior and exterior work.
Pepe said work is scheduled to start in late spring.
There is also a “possibility” that the Kaufman House will not provide internship opportunities for culinary arts and hospitality management students from Butler County Community College.
“It was never a guarantee,” Pepe said. “That was an idea Jack (Cohen, tourism bureau president) had in mind. It is possible that might not occur.”
