Heurich Mansion update (updated again)

The delight is in the details as you tour the Heurich Mansion, like this figure on a porcelain candelabra resting on the fireplace mantle in a parlor near the entrance, in Washington, Feb. 3, 2006. Known as the Brewmaster's Castle, the home of German immigrant and beer baron Christian Heurich was built in 1894 in Washington, DC's premier Dupont Circle neighborhood. The 12,000 square-foot, 31 room mansion resembles the Bavarian castles where Heurich's parents worked in the 1800s and is constructed of concrete and steel, with masonry interior walls. It was the first fireproof home built in the nation's capital. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The Heurich Mansion group raised about $80,000 in the six weeks after they made a public call for donations to avoid a calling of the loan. While they still need $180,000, Chevy Chase Bank gave them another 30 days to show more progress. In the interim, Councilmember Evans has proposed a $500,000 grant from the city towards paying off the mortgage long term, which is over $5 million, after the loan is brought up to date.

Photo: J. Scott Applewhite, Associated Press. The Heurich Mansion, known as the Brewmaster's Castle, was built in 1894 in Washington, D.C.'s premier Dupont Circle neighborhood by German immigrant Christian Heurich.

The AP did a story on the plight, "Preservationists try to save brewer's home in Washington," which ran in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, among other places. From the article:

"There are 80 million 'Joe Six-packs' out there who drink beer, the beverage of moderation," said Mr. Heurich, adding: "This is an extraordinary example of the way successful American brewers lived when beer was a hometown business."
Heurich beer label image compliments of Peter Sefton.

Gary Heurich reported in an email that:

IN 18 DAYS WE RAISED $79,578.65 FROM 1,290 DONATIONS
- 1,048 of who came to The Castle for a tour or fundraiser (versus ~8,400 visitors in all of 2005!)

THE FOUNDATION RECEIVED A 30-DAY EXTENSION FROM THE BANK to 15 March to raise the remaining $170,000

OUR COUNCILMEMBER IS SEEKING $500,000 FROM THE CITY JUST FOR THE CASTLE which if approved will represent ~30% of our next goal!

WE'VE ELEVATED TO AN UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL THE VISIBILITY AND AWARENESS OF THE CASTLE through a volume of press and other coverage never before enjoyed by The Brewmaster's Castle

WE'VE ATTRACTED A WHOLE NEW CADRE OF VOLUNTEERS, ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY TO HELP, AND EXPOSED THE CASTLE TO A SLEW OF FOLKS WHO HAD NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE easily at least 950 of the 1,048 were first-time visitors

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE REGULAR PUBLIC ACCESS FROM 3 TOURS OVER 2 DAYS TO 11 TOURS OVER 5 DAYS

New tour schedule:

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 11:30 & 1:00
Saturday 11:30, 1:00, & 2:30
Sunday 1:00 & 2:30
First Friday Candlelight Tours**** - 5:30-8:30 the first Friday of each month (note that this is the coming Friday)

****However, due to lack of time to fully prepare for and market this event to really make it a smashing inaugural event that will take on a life of its own, the First Friday Candlelight tours will not start until April. Therefore the inaugural First Friday Candlelight Tour will now be on Friday, 7 April, 5:30-8:30.

WE'VE ATTRACTED THE ATTENTION OF AND ARE MUCH BETTER POSITIONED TO APPROACH POTENTIAL MAJOR DONORS
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After this debacle is through Gary and I are supposed to get together to process what happened and to draw out some meta-lessons about the lack of a systematic program in the city for investing in and extending local cultural heritage assets and attractions.

Index Keywords: historic-preservation; arts-culture