The Grandeur Estate boutique hotel opens in historic Greensburg mansion

Tony and Julia Taneja liked road trips that took them about four hours from their home in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.

One of those trips took them through Greensburg, where they came upon a stately property for sale — a three-story brick edifice near downtown built in the early 1900s by industrialist Thomas Lynch, a president of H.C. Frick Coal & Coke Co.

The Tanejas bought the property in 2020 from its then-owner, Old Republic Insurance Co., and transformed it into a luxury boutique hotel.

With 17 suites and several event spaces, The Grandeur Estate opened for business in mid-May.

“We were looking for a project, but Greensburg itself helped us make this decision,” Tony Taneja said. “Greensburg is a beautiful place, it has lovely people, and we liked the geo- demographical location, close to Pittsburgh.”

Taneja is a mortgage banker who previously worked for the special services unit of Air India in the couple’s native country. His wife has previous restaurant experience.

They weren’t necessarily looking to get into the hotel business, but they were looking for a commercial venture that would make a difference in a specific community.

Traveling through Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey and Delaware, the Tanejas were struck by the decline of many formerly thriving communities.

“It intrigued me in a disappointing way as to how the most industrialized nation in history converted itself to a trading economy, and the condition of some of the places in West Virginia and Pennsylvania,” Tony Taneja said. “We are not big people and our contribution is going to be, at best, a micro-mini droplet in the ocean. But what kind of micro-mini droplet could we contribute in one of these areas that were hurt?

“This whole coal belt was probably at one time the most important region in America, so let’s do a project where we can contribute to the community and help bring life back to it,” he said.

Greensburg didn’t have anything similar to The Grandeur Estate, the couple noted, but there was much work to be done in bringing their vision to fruition.

Herculean job

“Renovating from an office building to making it a home again is a herculean job, especially when you have to do new electrical, plumbing, HVAC and fire safety,” Taneja said. “It was pretty much a complete rehab.”

The renovations retained the mansion’s original features, including refinished floors and woodwork, wallpaper, leather wall-coverings and decorative plaster work.

“We wanted to keep the historical aesthetic,” Taneja said. “We didn’t want to compromise on the finishes or the aesthetics. When we say luxury, we mean luxury.”

The couple wanted to get it right not only for prospective guests, but also for themselves.

“This is not purely a commercial project, this is our home now too,” Taneja said. “We came with the attitude of this is the greatest place, this is my town and I love it.”

He continues to work remotely in banking, while Julia manages the hotel’s day-to-day operations. She also made the design and decorating choices.

“She handles this project, I am at best an assistant,” Taneja said.

The 38-room, 6,000-square-foot manor was completed in 1907 on 2.5 acres along West Pittsburgh Street between Seminary and Oakland avenues. Old Republic expanded the property in the 1950s, adding 20,000 square feet with an exterior matching the original red brick facade.

Existing rooms were converted to suites, some including sitting rooms. The bathrooms sport imported Italian tile. One on the first floor is handicapped-accessible.

Furniture and artwork in some of the common areas and suites came from the Tanejas’ former home. They decided not to equip the suites with televisions, hoping instead that guests would mingle in the common areas.

Public event spaces include a reception area and two dining rooms on the first floor. The second floor features a lounge where breakfast is served, along with a beverage bar, space for remote work and a large-screen television.

The addition has been converted to a ballroom with a capacity of 144. Outdoor events also can be arranged on the large front lawn.

The carriage house at the rear of the property contains two one-bedroom apartments and another multipurpose space.

Eleven of the suites are open for visitors, with the other six to be completed later in the summer. The Tanejas are eyeing the addition of a fitness room in another remaining space.

Information is available at 724-689-7793 or thegrandeurestate.com.