Longmont?s Callahan House catering to business events

LONGMONT — It’s appropriate that The Callahan House, an ornate, Victorian-style home, has become a popular meeting space for Longmont business groups. Its first owner, T.M. Callahan, was a retailer who eventually co-founded a little store in Kemmerer, Wyo. with one of his former clerks, J.C. Penney.

Located at 312 Terry St., The Callahan House was built in 1892 to be the private home of Callahan and his wife, Alice, and their son, Raymond. In 1938, the Callahans donated the house to the city of Longmont, expressly designated for the ?use and enjoyment? of the women of Longmont.

Since then, the house has been maintained as a social- and business-meeting place. But in the past year, more and more business groups have begun to book the property, counting on its cozy atmosphere to recruit participants.

Edward Jones Investment in Longmont was lured by the ?internal ambiance,? Branch Administrator Will Hobbs said. ?When we hold events there, the folks are more likely to come than to another facility.?

In the past year, groups including the American Association of University Women, Business and Professional Women and a number of investment clubs have started meeting at the mansion. In 2001, 132 meetings were held there, and 4,000 guests were served, about double the number served in 2000, said Leslie Boynton, who has managed the landmark property for the past 15 months.

?We are glad to serve the business community,? she said. ?We like to have businesses use our facility.?

The Longmont chapter of the American Business Women’s Association began meeting at Callahan House instead of a conference center because ?the atmosphere gives us a homey feeling, not a cold, restaurant look,? said Franca Hinrichs, the chapter’s president.

Some of the furnishings left behind by the Callahans add nostalgic charm, such as the dining room set, two sideboards, T.M.’s office furniture and Mary’s piano, which was a Christmas gift from her husband.

Period fixtures, original woodwork, and beveled and leaded glass add character to Callahan House. The newel post of the stairway features an original bronze work by August Moreau, and the walls and ceiling of the parlor are hand painted with floral patterns in the Louis XIV style.

The red brick and Lyons sandstone home is set in an Italianate garden accented by a fountain.

Event planners may rent the upper level only or the entire house and garden. The upper level, which is 2,102 square feet, accommodates 34 guests. The entire house, 4,302 square feet, and the garden holds 150 guests.

The rental fees depend upon whether the event is scheduled for a weekday or weekend, how long the house will be rented, and how much space will be rented. For example a two-hour meeting upstairs on a Monday would cost $40, but a Saturday company reception requiring the whole house for four hours would cost $400.

Income from room rental goes toward event maintenance and restoration of the property, Boynton said. The city manages the operating budget, the staff, and the large-scale maintenance projects, she said.

Boynton is the only regular employee working at Callahan; the rest of the work is contracted. Catering for events serving fewer than 50 people is handled exclusively by Cooking With Jazz, which is owned by Shari Triche.

Until December 2000, the food was prepared onsite.

?For many years, the house manager who lived here did cooking for the events,? Boynton said. ?We looked at that more closely. Now, I am an employee of the city, and I do house management and event coordination. But I don’t cook.?

Cooking With Jazz prepares the food offsite, sets up the meal and serves. Tables, chairs, flatware, glassware and linens are provided.

The new management approach makes the site more appealing to Edward Jones’ Hobbs.

?Because the city changed the management of the facility,? he said, ?it’s become more desirable. It has a very efficient catering arrangement.?

For groups of more than 50, an outside caterer may be used, but Cooking With Jazz will bid for larger events. The menus include high tea, luncheons, dinners, continental breakfasts, hor d’oeurvres, deserts and box lunches.

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