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PHOTOS: See Plans For $7.5M Restoration Of The Historic Huntington Tea Room
Current front entrance of The Rose Garden Tea Room. (Lisa Blackburn / Courtesy The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens)
The historic Rose Garden Tea Room at The Huntington — the library, art museum and botanical gardens in San Marino — is getting a facelift.
The Huntington this week announced a $7.5-million dollar plan to renovate and expand their tea room. The popular spot has been closed to the public since March, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The plan includes a restoration of the front of the 1911 building and a new pavilion for outdoor dining. Randy Schulman, Vice President for Advancement at the Huntington, says that idea was sparked by the pandemic:
"One of the silver linings of having to figure out how to operate during a pandemic, is that we needed a space that could actually be COVID aware and that should have to operate in a hybrid setting, where tables are 6 feet apart. This facility would allow us to do that."
Here's a preview of the plans:
Elevation drawing shows plans for the Herb Room which will be available for private rentals, as well as the tea room's general service. (Courtesy Architectural Resource Group (ARG))
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Aerial view of the renovation project shows the front entrance and the new pavilion opening onto the Shakespeare Garden. (Courtesy Architectural Resource Group (ARG))
Elevation drawing shows details of the main entrance and the new pavilion opening onto the Shakespeare Garden on its right. (Courtesy Architectural Resource Group (ARG))
The Rose Garden Tea Room floor plan highlights the new and renovated spaces. The project will improve functionality in the tea room service areas. (Courtesy Architectural Resource Group (ARG))
Sectional drawing of the tea room renovation plan highlights the inside and outside of the building, from east to west. (Courtesy Architectural Resource Group (ARG))
The Shakespeare Room, a new pavilion planned to open next to the Shakespeare Garden. (Architectural Resource Group (ARG))
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