Nearly a year after being closed due to water damage, the Boat House event space is preparing to reopen after extensive renovations.
The venue, located in Confluence Park at the confluence of the Olentangy and Scioto rivers downtown, suffered major damage during the holidays about a year ago when a water main broke. After several events scheduled for early January, the Boat House closed.
The venue’s owner, Specialty Restaurant Corporation of California, will spend several months cleaning and updating the building and plans to resume hosting events in late November.
“It’s going to be amazing when it’s finished,” general manager Edward Reynoso said.
The specialty restaurant has renovated the space with Cape Cod-inspired colors to match the building’s nautical design and waterfront setting. New blue carpet was installed and the walls were repainted white.
In addition, the bathroom is undergoing renovation work after it was demolished.
Reynoso said water damage required extensive repairs, including removing drywall several feet off the ground, and some “insurance pushback” delayed renovations.
Groups occupying the boathouse were forced to move to other locations, including the Columbus Metropolitan Club, which had held popular lunch forums at the same venue for a decade. CMC President and CEO Sophia Pfiffner said CMC is pleased with its current location, The Ellis at Italian Village, and its operating company, BTTS Holdings.
“We are really excited about our partnership with BTTS Holdings and plan to hold our forums there for the foreseeable future,” Pfiffner said, adding that CMC may eventually hold events in different areas within the community. He added that he was exploring sexuality.
Reynoso said the Boathouse is booking events for the holiday season and beyond.
The venue, which once functioned as a restaurant, will reopen as an event space only, with the exception of at least two public events: the New Year’s Eve party and Red, White and Boom. Reynoso said the building could also be open on Easter or his Mother’s Day, but that is not decided.
As central Ohio’s events industry enjoys a recovery from the coronavirus shutdown, the Boathouse is coming back to life. At least five new event spaces are opening in the area this year, offering new options for weddings, corporate events, and other gatherings.
The Boat House was built in 1985 when the specialty restaurant agreed to lease the site from the city of Columbus. His lease was for 25 years with three renewal options of five years each. Last update expires in April 2025. The restaurant company will pay the city $90,000 and his 3% of revenue annually under the lease agreement.
Some civic leaders, including Greg Davis and Amy Taylor of the Columbus Downtown Development Authority, have argued that the city will take over the property after the lease expires, with the goal of creating a bar and kayak launch on the property. He insists on resuming management.
jweiker@dispatch.com
@JimWeiker