Government

Organization Seeks Changes to ‘Gores Pavilion’ Agreement with Town

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A venerable nonprofit organization is seeking changes to its lease with the town regarding an historic building located in a public park. The New Canaan Museum & Historical Society has proposed changes to its lease agreement for Gores Pavilion, an iconic structure in Irwin Park, including that “exterior painting” be added to a list of repairs that NCM&HS can request town funds for, according to documents obtained by NewCanaanite.com through a public records request. 

Painting had been in the existing 2007 agreement as the sole responsibility of NCM&HS, but under the proposed change, the responsibility for the cost of exterior painting would be incurred by the town while interior painting remains the responsibility of the nonprofit organization. The drafted revisions appeared to have been submitted to the town in January by NCM&HS Executive Director Nancy Geary, though no action has yet been taken, according to Selectman Nick Williams.

During the July 11 Board of Selectmen meeting, Williams mentioned to First Selectmen Kevin Moynihan that he had been contacted by Historical Society officials asking for an update. “The Historical Society, I guess there was a request from Nancy to make some minor modifications to the Irwin agreement,” Williams said at the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “The Gores Pavilion agreement.

Board of Selectmen

Town To Replace Roof on Historic ‘Gores Pavilion’ in Irwin Park [UPDATED]

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Town officials are expected Tuesday to approve an approximately $150,000 contract to replace the roof on a historic structure located in Irwin Park. Hundreds of people visit the Gores Pavilion each year through the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society, though major repairs have not been made to it for more than one decade, officials say. Designed by Landis Gores, one of the Harvard Five architects who had been Philip Johnson’s associate on The Glass House, the Pavilion had been designed as a winter lodge and summer pool house for John Irwin and Jane Watson, and was dedicated in 1960 at surprise party arranged by Johnson in honor of Gores. Under a 2007 agreement between the Historical Society and town, the municipality is responsible for major repairs to the Pavilion, including its roof, while the Historical Society pays for insurance, heat, utilities, and alarm systems. The 1,000-square-foot Pavilion is used as an art and architecture gallery. This item appears on the agenda for the Aug.

Government

Town Pursues State Grant To Help Pay for Roof Restoration at Gores Pavilion 

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The Board of Selectmen last week voted 3-0 to apply for a state grant that would help fund the restoration of a roof on a historic building in Irwin Park. If awarded, the Historic Restoration Fund Grant would provide matching funds for the estimated $100,000 roof job at Gores Pavilion, according to Bill Oestmann, superintendent of buildings with the New Canaan Department of Public Works. “If all things go well, we will have mostly like a spring project to get that roof up and on that building,” Oestmann told the Board at its Dec. 3 meeting at Town Hall. First Selectman Kevin Moynihan and Selectmen Kit Devereaux and Nick Williams voted in favor of the town applying for the grant.

Government

Public Buildings InfoSheet: Gores Pavilion

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[Editor’s Note: The following has been prepared in advance of the “Forum on Public Buildings,” to be held 6:30 to 9 p.m. on April 26 at Town Hall (questions for panelists can be submitted here). Most of the information in the bullet points below is drawn from the Town Building Evaluation & Use Committee report.]

Built: 1960 (architect Landis Gores)
Square footage: 1000 s.f.
Current uses: Art and architecture gallery, operated by New Canaan Historical Society
Committee recommendations: Renovation and maintenance remain the responsibility of the Historical Society, as per 2007 agreement. Written by Nancy Geary:

The building is listed on the CT Register of Historic Places and is itself a museum. Volunteers and staff from the New Canaan Historical Society serve as docents and it is open from May-November, Friday-Sunday 11 am-3 pm or by appointment. Hundreds of visitors come every year.