The Felt Estate in Laketown Township is offering another option for the community to enjoy history and beauty along the lakeshore.
The Carriage House Community Room is now available for events of 50 or fewer people. The space is in the first floor of the Carriage House, 6595 138th Ave., a restored structure originally built in 1917 that is east of the 25-room, three-story Felt Mansion.
“We have identified the need for an accessible small gathering space for the community and felt that the Carriage House Community Room could help fill that need,” said Elizabeth McEwen, director of the Felt Estate.
“This small room is intended for private or public (non-wedding) events, making it ideal for a baby shower, birthday party, club meeting, or business meeting space. We hope that the Carriage House Community Room can be that resource for our community.”
The carriage house main floor has had handicap-accessible bathrooms installed, as well as a kitchenette to help support use as a community space. The kitchenette has ample refrigerator and freezer space, a coffee maker, sink and prep area. Renters will be in charge of their own setup and teardown, allowing the mansion to keep the costs low, McEwen said.
Availability year-round
The Carriage House Community Room is a year-round space, “though we wouldn’t recommend a beach party in January. It is a historic building, after all,” McEwen joked.
Rental of the Community Room does not allow for access to any other buildings on the estate, and guests of the Community Room should be respectful of any other events happening in other areas of the estate.
Rental will be available full day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., half-day (not to exceed 6 hours), or hourly (for 2 to 4 hours). Fees range from $50 to $300 depending on the amount of time and day of the week.
All events have a $50 non-refundable service fee required at time of reservation.
There are no preferred vendor requirements while using the space. If hosting an event that is open to the public where alcohol will be served, a licensed bar service must be contracted at the renter’s expense.
Carpentry help requested
While the space is usable as is, the estate would like to construct some decorative partial walls to help further insulate and beautify the Community Room.
“One or two volunteer carpenters willing to volunteer their knowledge, tools, and a couple hours of their time could go a long way toward helping this space become more energy-efficient – an important tenant of Felt’s vision for The Estate,” McEwen added.
Information
For more on the Carriage House Community Room, visit www.feltmansion.org or call (616) 335-8982.
The Felt Mansion was built in 1925 by Dorr Felt, inventor of the Comptometer, a basic adding machine. After Felt’s death, the property was purchased by the St. Augustine Seminary for a school then, in the 1970s, by the State of Michigan to use as a prison. After the prison and Michigan State Police post that was in the mansion closed in the 1990s, Laketown Township purchased the property.
The estate has been renovated and is a premier wedding and event facility on the lakeshore.