Lakeview Pavilion Ready for Grand Re-opening

From Lakeview Pavilion:

Lakeview Pavilion, the family-owned wedding venue and historic function hall destroyed in a devastating fire in April 2014, will celebrate the grand opening of an all-new facility and host its first weddings and special events in early September.

Lakeview Pavilion’s owners, sisters Anastasia Tsoumbanos and Natalia Kapourelakos, will cut the ribbon on their strikingly modern, twin-ballroom venue on September 2. The ceremony at the picturesque waterfront gathering spot, which debuted in Foxborough as a dance hall and dining room in 1906, will take place 17 months after the three-alarm fire.

“Lakeview Pavilion is our life and hosting weddings is our passion,” Anastasia said. “When we host a wedding celebration, we feel as though we are welcoming the bride and groom into our home. We were devastated by the fire, but now we have a new home and can’t wait to open the doors.”

“We made every decision about the design and features of the new facility with our future brides and grooms in mind,” Natalia said. “We chose an all-white décor so that our venue would be like a blank canvas for the bride to decorate with her own special touches. Everyone wants their wedding day to be perfect, so we have been trying to do everything possible to exceed those expectations with the new Lakeview Pavilion.”

Built from the ground up, the 25,000-square-foot Lakeview Pavilion features a spacious ballroom in each wing of the building, designed with separate entrances and private decks overlooking the lake. The grand “Lakeview Ballroom and Gazebo” and intimate “Lakeside Ballroom and Terrace” are divided by a large commercial kitchen, led by Executive Chef Chris Smaller and stocked with top-of-the-line equipment, that will cater to every culinary need of wedding parties and formal affairs. The total capacity is about 500 guests, comparable to the original venue’s size.

Natalia and Anastasia, whose family purchased Lakeview Pavilion in 1988, have hand-picked every feature of the new Lakeview Pavilion and focused on every detail, from the overall design right down to the backlit mirrors in the restrooms and the faucets in the brides’ private powder rooms. They engaged the expertise and skills of project manager George Khouri, architect Allevato Architects Inc. of Franklin, and general contractor Stateside Construction Group of Andover to create a venue that stays true to its history while making the most of its natural setting amid towering pines.

“All great buildings have spirit. Lakeview Pavilion will forever hold the lifelong spirit of the wonderful memories it will create,” said Lou Allevato, AIA, principal at Allevato Architects. “We are blessed to have been a part of the magical rebuilding of this great building knowing we touch all who celebrate their lives together here.”

Additional highlights of the new Lakeview Pavilion include:

• 32-foot cathedral ceilings with acoustical panels and sparkling chandeliers;
• Majestic floor-to-ceiling windows framed by flowing white curtains;
• Doorways opening onto private decks and terraces;
• Romantic gazebo and terrace for wedding ceremonies overlooking the tranquil lake; and
• Cocktail lounges, private bridal suites, and ample space for dining and dancing in each ballroom.

“Our company is proud to have played a part in building this new facility,” said Eric Guthrie, director of operations at Stateside Construction Group. “Natalia and Anastasia were heartbroken to see this landmark destroyed by fire, but fortunately the story didn’t end there. We wish them continued success and a bright future.”

Along with the design and construction of their new venue, Anastasia and Natalia have been busy making reservations for 2015 and beyond. The first wedding in the new Lakeview Pavilion takes place on September 4. In addition, Lakeview Pavilion will proudly host the return of the Fireman’s Ball to Foxborough on September 11th. The event was held annually for many years but has been dormant for about a decade. Foxborough firefighters, who battled the Lakeview Pavilion blaze, organized the event that will draw firefighters and residents from several area communities.

Anastasia and Natalia, along with Anastasia’s twin brother Christos, hosted their first wedding at Lakeview Pavilion when they were 19 and 23. After emigrating from Greece to the Boston area in 1981, Anastasia and Natalia’s parents, Efstathios (Steve) and Kiparisia (Kathy) Kourtidis, bought the venue that has come to represent the fulfillment of their American Dream.

On the night of April 5, 2014, a fast-moving blaze consumed Lakeview Pavilion just after a bride and groom had been pronounced husband and wife. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the fire, which officials determined to be accidentally caused by careless disposal of a cigarette. Immediately after the fire, Anastasia and Natalia helped brides and grooms find new locations for their scheduled weddings, and the sisters soon announced plans to rebuild and invest in a multimillion-dollar venue to resume their dream. The project broke ground in November 2014.

“We are extremely pleased and honored to have assisted in this extraordinary rebuilding effort. The Lakeview Pavilion has been a significant contributor to the fabric of this community,” said Foxborough Town Manager Bill Keegan. “Everyone in the Foxborough community celebrates with Anastasia and Natalia with the opening of this beautiful, new facility.”