“Everything is going really well, but it’s down to the wire,” said owner Molly Frey of plans to reopen the Pasfield House Oct. 22.

Frey had originally hoped to have the historic property at 525 S. Pasfield St. operational by July, but the renovations turned out to be more significant than originally planned.

“The roof started caving in on the third floor, so that put a damper on things,” she said. “I had to put a new roof on, which stopped the outside painting and other exterior work until that got done.”

In addition to a new roof, Frey reconstructed the rotting veranda, painted the deck and repaved the outside courtyard. A firepit and water feature are also in the works for the courtyard, although Frey isn’t certain they will be finished in time for this Saturday’s grand opening.

While the primary focus has been on the exterior, Frey has also done updates inside to make it “a little more modern and cozy, plus accessible.”

The roof issues caused part of the upstairs ceiling to collapse, so “the upstairs rooms are a work in progress,” said Frey. “Two rooms are ready to open, and the event space is up to par.” Since the exterior renovations took longer than planned, Frey said she had time to go ahead and upgrade the catering kitchen.

Frey purchased the Pasfield House earlier this year from the estate of Tony Leone, the former proprietor who died in February 2021. Leone purchased the property in 1996 and converted it from an apartment complex to a bed-and-breakfast with event space. The Springfield Historic Sites Commission later named him Preservationist of the Year in 2011.

“It’s a great space; I’m trying to bring the old and the new together,” Frey said. “It’s really a ‘wow’ factor, you have to see it for yourself.”

The reopening will be held Saturday, Oct. 22, from 5-10 p.m. and feature food by the Pasfield House and a cash bar from Ad Astra.