Granville Inn Ready to Reveal Its Makeover
The Granville Innwas Denison University's crown jewel when it opened in 1924, but the building had fallen into disrepair by the time the university purchased itout of receivership from Heartland Bank in 2013. The historic hotel, restaurant, tavern and events center is set to reclaim its former glory when it reopens this month. "It's a beautiful building, but it's just been a lot of years unkept, I guess," says general manager Sean Mulryan. "It's keeping its historical integrity, so when you walk in it will still have that historical feel with a lot of modern conveniences." Let's walk through details of the renovation.
All the hotel rooms have undergone complete renovation: new drywall, fresh paint (no more wallpaper), new furniture and bedding, new bathroom floors, even new artwork on the walls. The rooms also feature additional outlets for charging electronic devices. "It's more conducive to business needs," Mulryan says.
An attic area previously used for storage has been converted into nine new guest rooms, thanks to a raised roof and newly added support walls. In addition, a large suite has been installed on the third floor.
An elevator has been installed for the first time.
The pub and tavern switched places. Previously, the restaurant was up front with the tavern behind it, which caused a lot of extra foot traffic in the dining area. Now the roomier front space will accommodate more bar patrons, while the restaurant offers a more private fine-dining experience.
A new awning on the front of the inn allows for outdoor seating for the first time.
The 160-person capacity ballroom has been renovated, and a former garage has been converted into a second 80-person capacity ballroom called the Carriage House. "We're really going to push the wedding market," Mulryan says. "We've got 20 weddings on the books from June until the end of the year, which is a good start for us."
The building has been rewired. "Everything's been completely ripped out and replaced," Mulryan says. "The biggest project was rewiring the entire building, bringing it into the 21st century."
