There's a new plan for the future of The Manor in West Orange. Here's the latest

The Manor in West Orange is set for a makeover under new ownership more than a year after closing to the public.

The West Orange Township Council voted unanimously last week to transfer The Manor's plenary retail consumption license from the Knowles family, which owned the Prospect Avenue facility for more than 60 years, to parent company The Legacy Manor. The new owners are planning to keep the site operating as a catering hall and wedding venue under a new name, The Grand Chateau.

"We're looking forward to restructuring one of the finest facilities in the state of New Jersey," said Robert C. Williams, the attorney representing The Legacy Manor. He added that the owners are anticipating a grand opening "hopefully in a few short months."

Williams highlighted the new owners' "extensive" catering experience as operators of The Royal Manor in Garfield and The Grand, formerly known as The Bethwood, in Totowa.

Dariusz Kida, one of the Legacy Manor principals, said the goal as of right now is to renovate and "beautify" the existing rooms without expanding the square footage of the facility. He also plans to keep the site a banquet hall for weddings and other special events.

History of The Manor in West Orange

The Manor closed for good on July 5, 2023, five months after announcing on its website that it would be shutting its doors. The Knowles family cited impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and other "unforeseen circumstances" as factors in the decision.

The venue held hundreds of celebrations and special events since opening its doors on New Year's Eve in 1956. In 1975, then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan hosted a champagne brunch at the site during his first presidential campaign.

The Manor became the third West Orange wedding venue to shutter over the past several years, joining Mayfair Farms in 2022 and The Atrium Country Club in 2017 . Given the string of closures, the council was happy to see that the most recent casualty will reopen in the same field.

"This is really exciting news," Councilwoman Michelle Casalino said during last week's meeting. "We were once known as the wedding capital of the state, and hopefully we can get back to that status."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: There's a new plan for the future of The Manor in West Orange. Here's the latest