The historic Stevens Manor home next to the Harrah's estate in southwest Reno is the new home to the Watson Rounds law firm after a painstaking restoration project.
The building was designed in the Williamsburg Manor style by architect Norman Blitz and built in 1944.
In its new incarnation, the building at 5371 Kietzke Lane is the center of an office complex that also includes Colliers International and First Independent Bank of Nevada.
"We wanted to keep the integrity of this historic home intact throughout our renovations," said Michael Rounds, an attorney and partner in Watson Rounds.
"We saw this as a unique opportunity to have a historic building in the highest growth commercial sector in Reno.
It's a classic merger of the old with the new."
Among visitors to the manor during its six-decade history have been President and Mamie Eisenhower as well as members of the Kennedy and Rockefeller families.
Sitting on 5.1 acres, the manor was at the edge of a 165-acre ranch that drew Eastern visitors.
Kelly Watson, a partner in the law firm, noted that the restoration preserved the original redwood, oak, cedar and mahogany throughout the building.
The floors, for instance, are constructed with hand-carved dowels.
Interiors of the restored Stevens Manor were designed by Sandra Kelly of Sandra Kelly Interior Design of Tahoe City.
She's worked on projects in Japan, Mexico and the Untied States, including Wolfgang Puck's Postrio restaurant and the Kuleto's restaurant in San Francisco.
Reno-based Watson Rounds employs 11 attorneys in Reno and Las Vegas.
It works primarily in intellectual property, insurance defense and business litigation.
