The Breakers, one of Newport’s famous Gilded Age mansions, is one step closer to building its debated welcome center. The Behan Bros. of Newport won a $5.4 million bid on the project- beating two other Rhode Island companies- and is expected to begin work on the yearlong project shortly.
The architects of the welcome center and members of the Preservation Society of Newport County were optimistic in a statement announcing their decision. Alan Joslin, one of the architects, said the Behan Bros. has an “excellent grasp of the design.”
The announcement comes after a lengthy zoning battle over the welcome center, which ended in the Rhode Island Supreme Court this January.
Some residents and members of the Vanderbilt family – the original owners of the mansion- argue that a welcome center would ruin the historic feel of The Breakers.
The proposed center would have space for indoor ticketing and a refreshment area.
An estimated 450,000 people visit The Breakers each year from over 100 countries.
