Here comes “ Uptown “The City is developing an improvement plan to secure the vibrancy of the 19th-century picturesque estate of Benham’s Grove for generations in the future. Benham's Grove is a ten-acre property rooted in history, a fitting setting for a wide variety of functions from intimate meetings to large formal gatherings. Thousands of guests visit the Victorian homestead for special events or a walk in the park every year.

Expect a refresh of some of the buildings and changes that will make the space more accessible for all guests, including a new building that will allow Benham’s Grove to host weddings and other events concurrently year-round. “Moving away from a rented outdoor tent and constructing a new building allows us to nearly double our event season. I essentially turn away thousands of guests each year because our current grounds cannot accommodate large groups in colder months,” Benham’s Grove Administrator Randal Bishop said.

Current improvement plans call for kitchen improvements to convert the space to a serving kitchen, as well as opening the wall between the home’s living and dining rooms. The Gerber House will also see a new ADA-accessible front entrance, an expanded patio with a new patio awning, new wooden floors on the first floor and upgrades to the restrooms and bridal suite upstairs.

“Adding a new year-round structure for community use on the opposite side of the property from the Gerber House allows the historic buildings to remain the focus of this campus. It is critical that we preserve and continue to invest in these pieces of our City’s history,” Mayor Brooks Compton said.

The project also calls for eliminating the second floor of the barn and improving lighting, flooring bathrooms and overall access to the building.

The gazebo will be relocated; crews will salvage and reuse any pieces that are possible. Similarly, improvement include reinforcing the concrete pad with steel and widening the front stairs.

Plans also call for expanding parking capacity by 50 spots.

Designers of the new event center were purposeful in creating a building that would complement the historic structures on campus without competing with their subtle but elegant architecture.

The project is currently in the design phase of the improvement project. A public bidding project is anticipated for September 2023 with contract award in December 2023.