I had the chance to speak with Gary Bruton this week. He was with the Stoneleigh from 1985 to 1999 and had a big part in re-imagining the “Grape Room”, a room on the second floor of the hotel that had the same design scheme as Colonel Stewart’s Penthouse (see photo above, circa 1930’s). Here’s what he had to share on finding this unique room and how it adds to the distinctive lore of the Stoneleigh:

D: I came across an interesting article about you discovering the “Grape Room”. Can you tell me a little about that story?

G: Well, the actual room was leased out to a permanent tenant at the time. Sam Ronegal had been there, and basically I had never had a chance to go into the room since it was a long-term permanent residence. It turns out it was built in the same manner as the Penthouse, with the same great architecture, wood, and unique paneling. There were always comments that Mr. Stewart actually built it as an office or as a place for someone else to live in. So, of all the rooms, you get this one room on the second floor that was built out like the Penthouse and had the same features, which was interesting.

When Ronegal actually moved out, we were able to go in there and identify the room and started saying that this would be a fabulous wine cellar type room and we then converted it into a wine room for private dinners. It had some secret details as well, not as much as the Penthouse did, but it had some unique features that added to the lore of the hotel. It also had these fabulous stained-glass windows in it, just like the Penthouse, but 9 stories down. It was a unique room to be that far apart.

D: I’ve heard that Colonel Stewart had all of these secret passageways up in the Penthouse, so it’s interesting to find out that another room in the hotel had a similar design. Perhaps there were secret passageways in the Grape Room too?

G: There was always thought that there was even a passageway that connected the Grape Room to the Penthouse. Perhaps during the renovation they’ll uncover it. We could never determine that, but we always found it strange that this room was an exact replica of those in the Penthouse.

We looked from the standpoint that it was a fabulous room to do private dinner parties in because it had this great feel, like a private dining room in a wine cellar. So, that’s what we actually converted it to, and we were able to do some nice dinners in there.

After scanning the blogosphere, we here at the Stoneleigh Blog came across the Dallas Metropolis Forum, which is a handy open forum for discussing more details and updates about the Stoneleigh project.

Stay tuned to the blog, for as we approach the re-opening of the hotel we will be providing all sorts of insights into the project’s history and future. We will also be interviewing more folks who have been an important part of the hotel’s story, including Gary Bruton, the oldest running General Manager of the Stoneleigh after Colonel Stewart’s family owned the building.

More to come soon. Until then, have a Merry Christmas.

Recently David Bull (chef of the new Bolla Restaurant at the Stoneleigh) was featured on the Fox 4 Good Day Dallas television program, in which he prepared a dish of Polenta with Gorgonzola and Wild Mushrooms, a preview of the dishes to come at Bolla.  Click below to see Bull in action preparing his dish.

Hoping to open up this coming February, Bolla will be bring a new spin on Modern Italian to Uptown Dallas.  For even further insight into what dishes to expect, check out these official breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menus. 

As the Stoneleigh project continues to progress towards it’s grand re-opening, one of the most important points I’ve learned from the players involved is maintaining the historical integrity of the hotel.  In fact, one of the biggest historical artifacts of the hotel, the old sign, has undergone a complete renovation and will be re-installed soon.  I will try and be there for the sign-lifting event and will snap some photos if I get the chance. 

In the meantime, yesterday I spoke with John Boehnlein, the Senior Development Manager for JaRyCo Development LLC , the company that is on-site working on the project, representing the hotel’s owner, A - P Stoneleigh Hotel LP.  He had some interesting things to share regarding historical elements of the hotel.  Here are a few quotes he shared with me from our conversation:

“We have come across several interesting artifacts along the way, such as the original electric switchgear, that will be on display on the first floor of the hotel.  It’s the main switchgear where all of the electricity was originally sent to and then re-distributed to smaller panels throughout the building.  The switchgear will be a great artifact that can provide a close look into the way the property was run back in the 30’s, when it was originally constructed.”

“Out in the front, we’re basically leaving everything intact, including the old baluster rails, the landscaping, and the lighting in the trees.  We are also renovating the original entrance lit canopies, which will reflect the original shape, color, and size of the canopies when the hotel first opened.  Thus, to complement the new restaurant patio, all of those classic Stoneleigh elements will still shine more than ever.”

“Throughout the whole project we’ve worked hard to preserve all of the historical elements, trying to incorporate as much as we can.  It’s been a challenge, but it’s also been a lot of fun.  At many times, working on the Stoneleigh has felt like an ongoing treasure hunt.”