Connecticut Preservation News March/April 2008 Volume XXXI, No. 2 Norwalk’s Grumman-St. John house in 2006 and 2008. Tod Bryant Victory in Norwalk dvocates of preserving the Grumman-St. John house inn or else expanded the inn on its present site and allowed the A scored a victory on February 6, when state Superior house to be sold for other purposes. Court Judge Thomas Nadeau granted a temporary injunction While none of these alternatives provided the full number of against demolition of the house. The judge found that there were rooms that Handrinos wished to build, Judge Nadeau concluded “prudent and feasible alternatives” to tearing down the 200-plus that they had the potential to provide a reasonable return. “It is year old structure, a contributing resource to the Norwalk Green true that all of the alternatives represent fewer new rooms than National Register district. In 2006 the Connecticut Trust listed defendant sought,” Nadeau wrote in his decision. “This factor the house as one of the Most Important Threatened Historic alone cannot serve to drop alternatives out of the feasible and Places in Connecticut. prudent atmosphere… . Were it otherwise, an applicant could Chris Handrinos, owner of the neighboring Norwalk Inn claim unrealistically high needs in order to brand most posed and Conference Center, bought the house in 2001 in order alternatives imprudent.” to raze it and expand his inn. After resolving a dispute with a Lawsuits under CEPA have been rare and often unsuccess- neighbor, Handrinos obtained a demolition permit in December, ful, so this decision is welcome to preservationists, particularly 2006. Demolition was opposed by the Norwalk Preservation continued on page 4 Trust, which brought suit under the Connecticut Environmental Protection Act. This law allows suits to prevent the unrea- sonable destruction of historic resources. The Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism later joined the suit, In This Issue... and the Connecticut Trust and the National Trust for Historic __________________________________________________ Preservation filed a joint Friend of the Court brief. __________________________________________________Around the State 6 At a hearing held in January, 2007, the preservationists called two preservation architects, one also a developer, who presented __________________________________________________New National Register Listings 10 several alternatives that either converted the house to part of the Antiquity and Weathering 12 The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit organization. ISSN 1084-189X AT THE TRUST From the Executive Director n June of 2001 the Connecticut Circuit Riders to their staffs. spring is Hallock Svensk from Fairfield. I Trust, in partnership with the Given our experience and success with A 2007 Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude National Trust, launched the Connecticut the program, the Connecticut Trust has graduate of Williams College, Hallock is Circuit Rider Program. The program, mod- been asked to guide and assist in developing assisting us with our grants and awards eled on one developed in Vermont two program descriptions, guidelines and goals. programs. He has also agreed to take on years before, aims to provide immediate, Recently, Circuit Rider Greg Farmer and I the responsibility of grassroots coordina- on-site preservation assistance to commu- participated in meetings with Preservation tor for the Face of Connecticut legisla- nities across the state. Many of you have Massachusetts and the Northeast Office tive campaign. Funding for that posi- benefited from the services of our Circuit of the National Trust to try to develop a tion comes from the National Trust for Riders over the years. For the Connecticut model that will allow us to identify clear Historic Preservation Northeast Office’s Trust, their work has allowed us to reach goals and outcomes for the Circuit Rider Intervention Fund. For more information more broadly and in more depth around program and to give guidance on how to on the Face of Connecticut campaign, the state and to demonstrate that historic measure success. We know that here in please visit www.faceofconnecticut.org. preservation practices are key tools for com- Connecticut we have been in almost every —Helen Higgins munity development and community pride. town and city since 2001. Our Circuit Last spring, the National Trust Riders have assisted in hundreds of projects. announced a major grant fund, the Wilson What we have not evaluated is the outcome Upcoming Meetings of the Challenge, to be offered to local and of their work. At the meeting in Boston Connecticut Historic statewide partners of the National Trust we all agreed that the ultimate outcome of Preservation Council to develop Circuit Rider programs nation- all Circuit Rider work should be “historic April 2, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. wide. The National Trust has received 29 places used and appreciated.” May 7, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. applications, which suggests that we will To view the most recent work of Greg see this model of preservation service begin Farmer and Brad Schide, our Circuit All meetings take place at the Commission on Culture and Tourism, to spread across the country. Already, New Riders, please visit www.cttrust.org, search 1 Constitution Plaza, Hartford Hampshire and Massachusetts have added for Circuit Rider Program and then look For more information call for the link to Circuit Rider reports, 2008. (860)256-2800 Joining us at the Trust this winter and The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation is a nonprofit statewide membership organization established by a special act of the State Legislature in 1975. Working with local preservation groups and individuals as well as with statewide organizations, it encourages, advocates and facilitates historic preservation throughout Connecticut. Board of Trustees Gubernatorial Appointees Connecticut Preservation News is published Theodore F. Ells, Branford bimonthly by the Connecticut Trust for Officers Historic Preservation, 940 Whitney Avenue, Jeffry Muthersbaugh, Chairman, Bethel Natalie Ketcham, Redding Hamden, Connecticut 06517. Publication is Walter Fiederowicz, Vice Chairman, Litchfield Edith Pestana, Hartford made possible by support of the members of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Adrienne Farrar Houel, Secretary, Bridgeport Advisory Council Preservation and by funds provided through Edmund Schmidt, Treasurer, Darien William R. Crowe, Canton the Community Investment Act, Public Act Stanley G. Fullwood, Assistant Treasurer, Jared Edwards, West Hartford 05-228, Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, State of Connecticut, M. Jodi Rell, North Granby Gerald Farrell, Jr., Wallingford Governor. The contents and opinions stated Additional Members of the Mimi Findlay, New Canaan herein do not necessarily reflect the views Board of Trustees John Herzog, Madison and policies of the State of Connecticut. The PRODUCING CUSTOM MILLWORK FOR Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation Martha Alexander, New Haven Lee Kuckro, Wethersfield assumes no responsibility for the CONNECTICUT CONTRACTORS AND Joan Carty, Bridgeport Stephen S. Lash, Stonington advertisements. HOMEOWNERS FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS William W. Crosskey, II, AIA, Bolton Charles T. Lee, Greenwich This program receives State financial assis- Leroy Diggs, Danbury Peter Malkin, Greenwich tance for identification and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the Inger McCabe Elliott, Stonington Cesar Pelli, New Haven Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 SPECIALIZING IN PERIOD WOODWORK Margaret Fezcko, Westport The Hon. Andrew Roraback, Goshen of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the U.S. Lynn Friedman, Madison John W. Shannahan, Suffield Department of the Interior prohibits WINDOWS • DOORS • ENTRANCES discrimination on the basis of race, color, Glenn Geathers, Hartford Staff national origin, or handicap in its federally MOLDINGS • BALUSTRADES Kristin Hawkins, Hamden Helen Higgins, Executive Director assisted programs. If you believe you have Bill Hosley, Enfield been discriminated against in any program, Christopher Wigren, Deputy Director activity, or facility as described above, or if you PANELING • TURNING • CARVING Charles Janson, Darien Pamela Gallagher, Director of Development desire further information, please write to the Theresa Kidd, Haddam Brad Schide, Connecticut Circuit Rider Office for Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department Ralph Knighton, Bloomfield of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240. Gregory Farmer, Connecticut Circuit Rider 222 QUARRY HILL ROAD James McLaughlin, Durham Jane Montanaro, Membership Services © 2008, Connecticut Trust for Historic Edward W. Munster, Haddam Preservation. All rights reserved. HADDAM NECK Todd Levine, Peservation Services ISSN 1084-189X Donald Poland, Hartford Elizabeth Hart Malloy, EAST HAMPTON, CT 06424 George Purtill, Glastonbury Website Content Manager Judith Miller Shanner, Bridgeport Hallock Svensk, Intern PHONE: 860 267-4693 FiFi Sheridan, Greenwich Adele Strelchun, North Canaan Connecticut Preservation News FAX: 860 267-1611 John B. Toomey, Jr., Bolton Editor: Christopher Wigren Jane Vercelli, Thompson Editor, Historic Properties Exchange: WWW.JOHNSONMILLWORK.COM Sue Vincent, Thompson Todd Levine Jeanne Webb, Hartford Graphic Design: David Wolfram, Middletown Printing: Kramer Printing, New Haven The Hon. Patricia Widlitz, Guilford 2 CONNECTICUT PRESERVATION NEWS, March/April 2008 AT THE TRUST Two new Trustees have joined the Connecticut Trust’s board. Robinson