Building committee discusses historic preservation and architects

The recently appointed Town Hall Building Committee agreed to send two requests for proposals for architectural firms Perkins Eastman and KSQ Architects Tuesday night. The RFPs will be for architectural designs on a renovated Town Hall and tiered parking structure at Locust Avenue. Both firms are familiar with the town and its planning projects as KSQ worked on the 2008 Downtown Study and Perkins Eastman recently finished work on the master plan for the Long Range Planning Committee.

"I concur with the original sense of the committee, that working with the two firms that we have worked with in the past is the right way forward for this group," committee member Kathleen Corbet said.

The committee will finalize what exactly they hope to request officially in the RFP by their next meeting May 29 so the firms have a good idea of what the town is looking for when it comes to a new town hall and Locust Avenue lot.

Most of what the panel focused on included flexible space for offices and meeting, historical preservation and costs.

Most of the discussion surrounding the historic aspect of Town Hall dealt with the preservation of the faade out front.

Preservationist Mimi Findlay cited what might be historical on the inside of the building, including the marble flooring and murals in the auditorium.

"It's the culture of the town and it shouldn't be something that's just thrown away," Findlay said.

"It really is a terrific building of craftsmanship."

She suggested that both firms should be investigated and vetted on their historical preservation expertise, something everyone on the committee supported.

"I have a feeling that if there is some extra expense and some consideration given, my guess is there are people that feel strongly enough about it that we might be able to even privately fundraise for some of these things to preserve," said First Selectman Rob Mallozzi.

See more here:
Building committee discusses historic preservation and architects