Bonnet House takes ownership of its Fort Lauderdale estate, opens for tours

It’s official: Bonnet House is now the owner of Bonnet House.

Local history enthusiasts took ownership of the 100-year-old estate near Fort Lauderdale’s beach on Monday, fending off a takeover by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation

On Tuesday, visitors can return to the 35-acre estate for tours of its historic buildings, which had been closed since March 14 due to the coronavirus.

The tours will no longer be led by volunteers, who had been conveying groups of 20 around the property, said Patrick Shavloske, chief executive officer. To adhere to social distancing recommendations, tours will now be self-guided. Guests have been able to explore the grounds but not go inside the buildings since May 19.

The estate at 900 N. Birch Road is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. With its old-time Florida feel and lush landscape between the ocean and Intracoastal Waterway, it’s a favorite destination for Fort Lauderdale tourists and beloved venue for locals hosting weddings and public gatherings.

The Florida Trust, which owned the estate’s buildings and property, had said it wanted a more active role in its management. The Trust had declared an impasse in its financial dispute with Bonnet House in September and had ordered the board to hand over everything on the property.

Bonnet House Inc., the locally operated board that manages the property and has provided programming since 1990, said the house had given the Trust more than $2 million since 1995. The Trust relied on that income for 64% of its budget but provided no financial support to the house in return, according to the board.

The conflict between the house and the Trust dismayed many who believed the house should be run by a local board that visits it regularly and cares about its every ceiling crack and rusting faucet.

To transfer the property to the local board, the house paid the Florida Trust $886,507, Shavloske said.

Although the house no longer has to make payments to the Trust, the loss of income during the house’s coronavirus closure has made its financial condition again precarious. Shavloske said the estate lost about $265,000 in March and April and about $100,000 in May. Its annual budget is $2.1 million.

Still, he said the board is thrilled to finally have full ownership.

“The average person won’t see a lot of difference,” he said. “But we’ll be able to serve visitors and locals in a much better way.”

Tickets are $20 for the house and grounds tours, and $10 for the grounds-only tour. The house is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday. Guests over 2 years old must wear face masks. Go to www.bonnethouse.org/about-all/covid-19/.