BELOIT—Brian Mark Funeral Home, 1000 Inman Parkway, is getting a renovation to give the home a contemporary new look and to be more comfortable for the community.
The makeover will include exterior improvements, outdoor seating, more windows and natural lighting and upgrades throughout the home. Construction began on Oct. 15 on the $250,000 renovation.
“We’d like to be done Feb. 1 and have an open house sometime in March,” said owner Brian Mark.
The architect, FFH Design, out of Muskego, Wisconsin, is one of only several firms in the country specializing in funeral home design.
Those driving by the funeral home can already view the new columns out front.
“A brick wall was removed to open up the entryway which feature new stone pillars and landscaping,” Mark said.
The new exterior look is a nice complement, Mark said, to the lit cupola which has carillons which play every day at noon and 6 p.m. and when people leave the funeral home for the cemetery.
The entrance area will get new light fixtures and a new color scheme in the spring.
The main chapel will feature a new large window and beams coming down from the ceiling in addition to new large screen TVs, new and more comfortable chapel chairs and more modern chandeliers.
The back chapel is being transformed into a gathering space with a TV and comfortable couches.
“It will be more of a relaxed area to visit for during wakes and visitations,” Mark said.
Off the main chapel will be the newly designed hospitality room, a place where people can drink coffee and tea with the lower and higher tables to allow people to relax before and after funerals and during the visitation. The hospitality room will get some more comfortable seating as well as accompanying outdoor seating.
The banquet hall will have more tall tables and chairs, new lighting and flooring and upgraded kitchen area as well as outlets and charging stations for phones and devices. An outdoor seating will be added outside the banquet hall for guests to get a little fresh air.
“It’s a growing trend for funeral homes with a banquet facility to have outdoor seating,” Mark said.
Mark said he plans to market the banquet hall as a multipurpose facility for non-funeral events for service clubs and organizations as well as for birthday parties, wedding showers, baptism parties and more, something more progressive funeral homes are offering.
The front area of the home will offer an arrangement office which is getting a new large and contemporary table, flat screen TVs and new window treatments. The updated business office is being renovated as well as the restrooms which are being expanded and will be ADA compliant.
