When the Museum acquired the property in 2008, it had been neglected for decades and was nearly beyond salvaging. Opendore was purchased from Cayuga County for back taxes without a clear plan for usage. Various study committees were formed and plans were drawn. Options were formulated to satisfy HSSM needs for parking, toilet facilities, archival storage, program, and gallery space. After a NYS grant was secured, the Board decided to move ahead with a partial rehab and restoration, beginning in 2013. The severely deteriorated southern half of the building was dismantled, and the remainder was stabilized.

Opendore, originally built in 1837, was purchased by William Howland in 1853. It was remodeled in the 1860s and again in 1888, then finally, by Isabel Howland in 1910. Noted Syracuse architect Albert Brockway designed the 1910 renovation in a vernacular Colonial Revival style, hearkening back to pre-Revolutionary times. The 1910 structure was an expansive country estate of 6,600 square feet, almost double the size of the present building. It is on the National Registry as part of the Sherwood Equal Rights Historic District, and is a stop on the Votes for Women trail, recognizing the leadership of William, Hannah, and Isabel Howland in the women’s suffrage movement.

When it became clear that funding would be insufficient to complete the project, a volunteer construction crew was formed in 2016. Since then, it has become a substantially volunteer project with 41 individuals donating over 13,000 hours, many of which counted toward a 50/50 match for the grants.

Completion of the project has only been possible with multiple State grants, local funding, and significant contributions of volunteer labor. The grand opening of the building took place August 21, 2021, but parking and site development are still underway.