Vision includes multiple venues at 1917 site
A showstopper of a historic property located in the heart of Taylor is coming back to life — and is being reimagined as a French brasserie, a rooftop bar, a spa, office space and more.
An exterior shot of the 1917 Kennedy-Pierce Mansion.
Courtesy photo In early January, a trio of preservation-minded investors purchased the Kennedy-Pierce home, a neoclassical mansion completed in 1917 at 117 E. Sixth St.
The edifice was created by prominent architect Roy Leonidas Thomas, who also designed the Bohn House, the Stephen F. Austin Hotel, University Baptist Church, Kirby Hall School and other Austin landmarks.
“I think we have a very unified vision and foremost is saving this property,” said investor Jessica Morgan, a local real estate agent who specializes in infill development. “Secondary to that is progress and seeing Taylor continue to evolve in the right direction.”
Morgan has teamed up with Mike Kaspar and his partner Peter L’Heureux, owners of the nearby Kaspar House, a historic shortterm rental property, who are members of the Taylor Conservation and Heritage Society.
The three, who paid about $560,000 for the historic mansion, have plans to restore the 5,400-square-foot structure featuring 11-foot ceilings, intricate woodwork, 100-year- old oak floors in pristine condition, a ballroom, and more, to its former splendor within one to two years, using private funds, and possibly federal, state and local grants.
“We want to contribute to Taylor’s resurgence,” said L’Heureux, who has decades of experience as a caterer and restaurateur in the Washington, D.C., area.
L’Heureux said the mansion was built for Matthew Rankin Kennedy II, who made his fortune trading in cotton and cattle, and whose distinctive tastes led to a unique combination of architectural elements inside the building, including American Craftsman, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement in the late 19th Century.
“When Matthew decided to build, he went and found this young architect Roy L. Thomas, who was only 28 years old at the time,” he said. “Thomas did everything on a handshake, and he shook hands with Mr. Kennedy. And even though Roy Thomas had a style of his own, he decided that his whole philosophy of architecture was to work with the client.”
Kaspar, 69, who grew up at the Kaspar House, which is located only a couple of blocks away from the mansion, said he has had a lifelong fascination with the property and is delighted to help oversee its revival.
“When my mother would send me to get her some candy or something from the nickel store, I would pass by this house all the time,” he said. “I would always wonder, ‘Who are these rich people who lived here?’ The Kennedy family, everyone knew their name. And now we own it.”
Despite the mansion having been vacant for more than 10 years, the investors said the bones of the house are solid.
“The engineer asked us how old the house was,” Morgan said. “He said the way that the home is built, you can tell it has a high structural integrity. It was just done really well.”
The trio are looking forward to bringing the property back to life, they said.
“Our objective is to preserve the history of the home and at the same time honor both progress and preservation,” Morgan said. “With everything that is happening with Samsung (Austin Semiconductor), we understand things are going to move forward, and we want to offer something that the community can enjoy that features every aspect of the history.”
The decision by Samsung to build a multibillion- dollar semiconductor fabrication facility on Taylor’s outskirts has led to new, high-tech businesses, more housing, additional residents and fewer agricultural holdings.
