The Town Council this month heard an early-stage proposal from the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society to relocate a historic structure to its Oenoke Ridge campus.
The nonprofit organization is proposing to move the Gores Pavilion from Irwin Park to a central area on its property at the top of God’s Acre.
NCM&HS Executive Director Nancy Geary described the proposal as part of a broader vision for the museum campus following its recent acquisition of the St. Michael’s Lutheran Church property next door.
“We’ve spent about the last nine months working on how we want to reorganize the campus,” Geary told the Town Council at its May 20 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “A big part of that is to remove a huge section of the asphalt parking lot and make more green space, to build an outdoor classroom, and to build a picnic area.”
Many people also enjoy being on the green lawn and outdoors, Geary said.
Irwin Park, in contrast to NCM&HS, has restrictions on timing, as you “have to vacate by dusk,” Geary said.
“We would like to move it to our property where it could be open whenever we’re open, which right now is Tuesday through Saturday,” she said. “If you switched campuses, we could also be open in the evenings.”
Recently, the Pavilion also has had maintenance issues, Geary said.
“The doors don’t open,” she said. “Part of our commitment is to restore it back into its 1960s condition and have it operate as a museum.”
The Pavilion was designed by Harvard Five architect Landis Gores as a winter lodge and a summer pool house. It was dedicated in 1960 at a grand surprise party arranged by Philip Johnson in honor of Gores.
Geary’s presentation to municipal bodies such as the Town Council and Planning & Zoning Commission was informational. Approvals from those bodies and others, including the Historic District Commission and Board of Selectmen, will be required in order to see through the vision at the NCM&HS campus.
Town Council member Jennifer Zonis questioned whether the NCM&HS would pay for the building’s repairs.
“Yes, we are currently fundraising,” Geary said. “But, we’re a long way from reaching our goal of $1 million.” (Relocating the pavilion would cost around $1 million, while the organization’s total capital campaign is $2.5 million.)
Town Council member Mike Rodgers voiced concerns on whether the new campus would make the Pavilion feel “closed in and not as important.”
Geary responded, “We thought a lot about that and looked at some other spots for it. But, none of them were either as visually interesting or as practical, and we feel like we can preserve the vista that it had at Irwin.”
Geary noted that the moving of campus would “give the Pavilion life.”
“I mean, it would really have a life as a museum,” she said.
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