An expansion project at Sonnenberg Gardens in Canandaigua is now under way.

The first part of the expansion, which will eventually be a project exceeding $6 million, will provide for a new entrance and gateway to Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park.

David Hutchings, executive director for Sonnenberg,  said this project utilizes land from a former armory site that the park had previously acquired from the U.S. Part of that armory will be developed into a new visitors center for Sonnenberg, he added.

“Their office wing from the Reserve is all turned into archives, and our offices for the gardens now, and we have a maintenance facility that we didn’t have before, and we’re hoping to convert a large section of the building into an educational visitors center," Hutchings said.

The visitors center would eventually include a café-bistro type of concept, as well as a gift and wine center.

To date, the project has received $1 million through two state grants, as well as more than $300,000 from an ongoing fundraising campaign by the Friends of Sonnenberg group that operates the site.



Fundraising to complete the project is ongoing, and Hutchings is hoping to see the project completed over the next 2 to 3 years.

Randy Gorbman is the news director at WXXI News, a media partner of CITY.