Henderson's GillHouse scheduled to open in spring

Jonathon Wheeler, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·2 min read
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Sep. 24—HENDERSON — The GillHouse is scheduled to reopen next spring after the restaurant worked out issues with the state Department of Health over its septic tank.

Henderson Town Supervisor Edwin D. Glaser said the historic restaurant and hotel currently has a 1,600-gallon-a-day septic system, but that it wasn't accurate enough for the health department. Mr. Glaser said the health department is talking about high water levels that he says haven't been established yet.

Mr. Glaser said that the owner of the GillHouse has been told that as long as the town sewer system is under contract to be built that they would allow for the restaurant to open on a pump and haul system, which involves a company coming in and pumping the tank whenever needed.

Sewer district one, which is the town's new sewer system, will go out to bid Jan. 1, 2023, and Mr. Glaser said the design is 95% done. The GillHouse will be a part of sewer district one.

GillHouse owner Steve E. Vollmer said they spent the whole summer working with the civil engineer and the health department to try to get the GillHouse open and had multiple submissions going back and forth.

"We were just never able to come to a solution that allowed us to get the official opening," he said.

Mr. Vollmer said he is "discouraged and a little sad" that The GillHouse didn't open this year.

Despite the troubles, Mr. Vollmer said he is "ecstatic" to open in the spring.

"We're counting down the days," he said. "We're going to continue to refine and perfect everything so that next May we'll be open." He added he is hoping for "a big Mother's Day dinner" for its first major event.

Multiple proposals were sent to the health department, as well as limited capacity ideas for the restaurant and hotel, but the department declined, according to Mr. Glaser.

The GillHouse is planning to reopen in May.

Rooms and space for events can be booked on the GillHouse website, gillhouseny.com.

Attempts to reach the health department were unsuccessful Friday.