Hellner working to revive Luther Mansion in Medina

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Restoration of this historic home at 304 West Center St., known as the Luther Mansion, is continuing by developer Rollin Hellner.

MEDINA – Passing through Medina on a drive to Rochester so impressed Rollin Hellner that it has set the path for his road to success.

“I saw all those beautiful businesses and shops and fell in love with the town,” he said.

A Newfane native and active preservationist, Hellner purchased a home on Maple Avenue in Medina in 2015, renovated it and sold it in 2021.

Since then, he has started an ambitious historic restoration of the Medina sandstone home at 304 West Center St., known as the Luther Mansion (recently Stonehurst); he bought the historic property across the corner known as the Maple Crest Inn; and is in the process of continuing renovations of the Walsh Hotel, which he also recently purchased.

(Left) Rollin Hellner looks at one of the restored windows of the Luther Mansion. The trim will be painted in colors found in the sandstone, of which the home is built. (Right) Hellner stands on the stairway of the historic Luther Mansion on West Center Street, which he is in the process of restoring to its former grandeur.

Hellner, 30, comes from a family of entrepreneurs, who owned Schimschacks Restaurant in Sanborn. They believe his grandmother actually started the chicken wing craze in the early 1950s, and he has her original recipes on index cards. His father this summer started a tour boat operation in Medina, which he plans to expand next year.

Hellner is CEO of Hellner Development Company, and also owns Timeless Building Materials in Burt, the largest specialty lumber company in the state, selling reclaimed lumber globally. In all, he owns nine businesses, most related to real estate or construction, he said.

Hellner went to college and got a degree in engineering, which led to a relationship with Ford and Volvo to develop lithium batteries for their cars.

He said he never wanted to be in the restaurant and bar business, but when he saw the Walsh for sale, he knew it had to be preserved. He also saw it as the perfect place to serve the “famous wings.” He plans to continue the restoration started by Tim Cooper, by finishing the upper floors to add studio and one-bedroom apartments.

“Then I saw the Maple Crest, and I wanted to live there,” he said. “I bought it in July 2022.”

He has made some repairs and restored the windows, original plasterwork and the parquet flooring. He has painted the outside in the home’s original color. The Maple Crest was built in 1860 for a Main Street merchant, who was a cousin of Susan B. Anthony.

Several weekends ago, Hellner hosted the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club, to which he belongs. He took them on an exclusive tour of the c. 1861 Luther Mansion, which he plans to fully restore. Their three-day visit included a reception Friday night at the Walsh Hotel, a party Saturday catered at the Maple Crest by Bent’s and Sunday brunch at Harvest Restaurant.

Provided photo: Fellow members of developer Rollin Hellner’s Rolls-Royce Club visited the Luther Mansion on West Center St. during their recent weekend stay in Medina, as Hellner’s guests.

Renovations at the Luther Mansion will be extensive, Hellner said. All the original plaster will be re-created. In removing paint and wallpaper, they uncovered original designs, and they will all be documented and repainted as they were originally. The marble mantles had been ripped off the walls and sold and he was able to locate them and make arrangements to purchase them back.

The roof is being replaced with copper and slate. Hellner said the outside work will be completed by winter. The carriage house has already undergone extensive work to lift it from its foundation, repair it and replace rotted beams. He hopes to have the entire property finished by next fall.

Projects in Medina are not all Hellner is involved in. He purchased a 155,000 square-foot building in Middleport which was going to be demolished, restored it and recently added 50 employees to the workforce there.

“That’s what I do,” he said. “I find under-utilized buildings that are eyesores and fix them up. My favorite thing is to take the burden off the property owners so they can focus on growing their businesses.”

He has several large projects going in Buffalo, but most of his time is spent in Medina, he said. He tries to use local contractors as much as possible.

“I don’t do it to make money,” Hellner said about his historic restorations. “I do it because it’s the right thing to do.”