In 1811, architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe, aka the man behind designing the White House and US Capitol, began work on a home for Kentucky Senator John Pope + his wife Eliza in Lexington. Now, it’s known as Latrobe’s Pope Villa, located at 326 Grosvenor Ave. in the historic Aylesford neighborhood.
Since 1988, the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation (BGT) has tended to and cared for the building with the hopes of rehabilitating it to its full neoclassical glory. Now, BGT is putting out a Request for Expression of Interest to look for someone to match its recent $748,000+ grant from Save America Treasure. Here’s everything you need to know about the space.
Latrobe’s Pope Villa
The 19th century home is one of three surviving residences designed by Latrobe in the US. The neoclassical-style building is defined by its arch-shaped, pillar-flanked entryway.
The grant will go toward essential repairs to the home, including:
- Installing a new roof
- Restoring the second-floor rotunda
- Masonry stabilization
- Reframing throughout the building
The future
Following these foundational improvements, BGT hopes that whoever matches the grant can rehabilitate the home and find a long-term use for it. Jonathan Coleman, executive director of BGT, says preservation-minded corporations, developers, individuals, and nonprofits are invited to submit a request.
Parties that intend to send in a Request for Expressions of Interest should be ready to detail goals for the building including:
- What it will be reused as
- Potential partners to help with preservation
- Where funding will come from
- Outlining experience with previous rehabilitation projects
Coleman adds that the ideal candidate is someone who has preservation at the forefront, can ensure the home’s maintenance, and turn it into a space that is open for the community.
