When the family business is called Urban Restorations and the company’s website touts: ‘The Fusion of Modern Architecture and Historic Preservation’, you might get the impression that owner Bob Schilling and his family concentrate on inner-city homes and properties in central Ohio. But after researching the recent growth of the Licking County community of Granville, the charming and vibrant town just west of Newark, he found out very quickly that the Buxton Inn project was calling his name. Of course, it might have been the famous Inn’s ghosts calling his name……
The Buxton Inn is one of Ohio’s oldest continuously operated inns and although it’s gone through several owners and renovations over the last 204 years, its popularity has not wavered. “This is a one of a kind venue and product,” Schilling said. “Our vision gives the Inn a very strong future.” Every room in the Inn tells a story with original artwork and the lobby even features lithographs from the 18th and 19th centuries. Not only did the Inn serve as a stage coach stop between Columbus and Newark, it also served as Granville’s first post office. Famous visitors to the Buxton Inn have included Henry Ford, President Abraham Lincoln, President William Henry Harrison, and abolitionist/author Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Renovations started at the Buxton Inn immediately after the December 2014 purchase. As a veteran of many renovation projects in Columbus, Bob’s family, including daughters Jennifer and Adrienne, son Nick, daughter-in-law Eileen and son-in-law Julio, are blending the early, 1812 charm of the inn with contemporary function. Just 16 short months following the purchase, the family has renovated all of the dinning spaces and completely renovated the lobby and all but two of the guest rooms. In addition to the restaurant being open for lunch and dinner Tuesday thru Saturday and brunch on Sunday, they’re proud to be able to host corporate retreats, luncheons, weddings, and holiday events of all sizes. They have also added event space for up to 150 people in the courtyard.
When the renovations began at the Buxton Inn, the family worked hard to meet the expectations of the Granville community, the preservationists, and themselves. They had the benefit of a knowledgeable and experienced Customer Relationship Manager, Laurie Pfeiffer, who helped them every step of the way. Heartland Bank CEO Scott McComb was proud to support the Schilling family’s efforts to restore the Buxton Inn. “Bob Schilling and his family have a niche in rehabbing and repurposing significant projects, and what they have done with the Buxton is wonderful! They’ve saved a piece of history for the ages.”
About Granville, Ohio
Granville, Ohio was settled by sturdy New Englanders from the neighboring towns of Granville, Massachusetts and Granby, Connecticut. The migrating families left their homes and headed west in early September of 1805 and arrived in Ohio via oxen-drawn wagons in November of the same year. Log cabins were built for housing and businesses started taking root. The settlers planned for a New England type village with churches for their spiritual needs and schools to educate their children. Denison University was founded in 1831 and Granville was formally incorporated as a village in 1832.