AURORA, N.Y. — The Inns of Aurora, a luxury lakeside boutique resort in the Finger Lakes Region of New York, announce the opening of Taylor House Conference Center. After dedicating twenty years to the restoration, preservation, and adaptive reuse of historic buildings in the Village of Aurora, Taylor House is the resort’s capstone restoration to a collection of premier hospitality offerings.
Taylor House Conference Center is situated in the center of the historic Village of Aurora, featuring charming views of the Village and Cayuga Lake. The Greek Revival building, built in 1838 as a magnificent home, today features two floors of modern meeting and event space. Masterfully intertwined with state-of-the-art technology, original architectural details — including monumental Ionic columns, nine fireplaces, finely detailed crown moldings, and intricate plasterwork — set the stage for productive and inspired meetings. Several pieces of original modern art from the collection of Pleasant Rowland, founder of the Inns of Aurora, enhance the interiors.
The storybook Village of Aurora, located alongside Cayuga Lake, was once a bustling center of commerce and trade along the Erie Canal and the home of notable residents Henry Wells, founder of American Express, Wells Fargo and Wells College, and Colonel E.B. Morgan, founding investor in The New York Times. In 2001, Wells College alumna Pleasant Rowland — noted textbook author, educator, and creator of American Girl — returned to Aurora to find that many of the grand buildings in the National Historic District were in a state of disrepair and neglect. Pleasant made it her mission to revitalize the Village to its original grandeur, meticulously restoring and renovating over a dozen properties. Many of these buildings now make up the Inns of Aurora, which includes five boutique inns, two restaurants, a demonstration kitchen, programming center, world-class spa, and, now, the Taylor House Conference Center.
“After twenty years dedicated to the restoration and ongoing preservation of these historic properties, we are honored to introduce the capstone restoration project to the Inns of Aurora,” said Sue Edinger, Chief Operating Officer at the Inns of Aurora. “We deeply admire Aurora’s incredible entrepreneurial spirit, from the early settlers who created a bustling hub along the Erie Canal to the successful entrepreneurs, diligent scholars, and progressive thinkers – including Pleasant Rowland – who have shaped Aurora into the jewel it is today.”
Taylor House Conference Center highlights include:
First Floor
- 2,000 square feet of indoor space with maximum capacity of 50 guests, including three grand parlors for social gatherings and breakout meetings
- Five original fireplaces
- Spectacular dining room with barrel-vaulted ceiling accommodates up to 30 guests for plated dinners; added to the home in 1871, original design elements include the fireplace, floors, and hardware
- Adjacent to the dining room, an outdoor patio with firepit offers seating for up to 50 guests
- Dedicated parking area with electric vehicle charging station
Second Floor
- 1,500 square feet of modern boardroom space
- State-of-the-art amenities including seven 65” television screens, magnetic walls for brainstorming and presentations, airwalls to create up to three separate meeting spaces, wireless microphones, automatic light and projection system
- Primary boardroom table accommodates up to 36 guests
- Two additional breakout meeting spaces accommodating eight guests each
- Over a dozen windows with expansive views of the Village and lake, able to open for fresh air and natural lighting
“We’ve been able to develop extraordinary meetings and events for guests throughout the Inns of Aurora property,” said Sara Brown, Director of Sales at the Inns of Aurora. “In this new era — where companies are favoring off-site retreats as their employees continue to work remotely and social groups are seeking more intimate experiences — Taylor House allows us to expand our capabilities even further.”