Changes Coming To The Laurent House

A brand new visitor's center is being planned to complement the Rockford attraction. 

MyStateline - The Laurent House Foundation plans to renovate a dilapidated property across Spring Brook Road from the museum into a visitors center with a gift shop, offices and parking. The $500,000 project is being paid for with private donations. Located on a double lot at 4635 Birch Avenue, the Foundation on Monday will ask Rockford City Council to annex the properties and grant a special use permit.

The fact that this attraction is tucked in a residential neighborhood presented an additional challenge.

The developers have stated that they want to make the new visitor's center blend into the neighborhood so "people wouldn't even know it's there." There will also be additional regulations put in place to make sure busses don't idle in the neighborhood.

The biggest addition? The visitor's center will have a bathroom that's accessible to the public, something that isn't available in the house.