Government

‘Beautifully Executed’: Exterior Changes to Antique Colonial on God’s Acre Approved

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Saying the proposed exterior changes to an antique Colonial on God’s Acre will restore a ca. 1888 home to something more closely resembling the original structure, town officials on Thursday unanimously approved an application from the owners of 35 Main St. Historic District Commissioner Tom Nissley described the application from Joseph Riker and Susan Staudt—whose plans for the gabled home call for the softening of a boxy, non-integrated 1960s- and ’70s-era addition at the rear, as well as the re-introduction of original-style windows—as “very well prepared” and “beautifully executed.”

“I would like to comment on how good it looks,” Nissley said at the meeting, held at the New Canaan Historical Society. New Canaan’s historic district encompasses 21 buildings near and around God’s Acre, including the Riker and Staudt home at 35 Main. Before structures within the district undergo exterior changes, approval is required from the commission (see Town Code, Chapter 31-6).

Government

Encouragement from Historic District Officials on Exterior Work Planned for 1888 Colonial on God’s Acre

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The owners of a prominent, gabled 1888 Colonial on God’s Acre received preliminary support from town officials Thursday for plans to alter the exterior of their home in ways that will restore it to something more like the original antique structure. Though a full application to the Historic District Commission is still forthcoming, broad plans for 35 Main St. call for the softening of a rather boxy, non-integrated 1960s- and ‘70s-era addition to the rear of the home—including the re-introduction of original-style windows—while interior work is done on the kitchen. The commission’s acting chair, Janet Lindstrom, said during a prehearing at the New Canaan Historical Society that “it seems the things that are being done certainly make it much more authentic to its period.”

New Canaan’s historic district encompasses 21 buildings near and around God’s Acre, including Joseph Riker and Susan Staudt’s home at 35 Main. Before structures within the district undergo exterior changes, approval is required from the commission (see Town Code, Chapter 31-6).

Government

Fear of ‘Demolition by Neglect’ for Historic 1780 Home on God’s Acre, in Foreclosure

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Town officials say they’re concerned that if a long-vacant 1780 home on God’s Acre doesn’t get a tenant soon it could end up a demolition-by-neglect. If the antique, Greek Revival-style home at 4 Main St. comes down it “would be horrendous in the middle of our historic district,” Janet Lindstrom, acting chairman of the Historic District Commission said at the group’s most recent meeting. “That would be just terrible, and as one can see, it’s not being occupied,” she said at the Oct. 23 meeting, held in the Town House annex meeting room at the New Canaan Historical Society.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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Dr. Sven Englund, 93, received a standing ovation at the October 20 meeting of the Inland Wetlands Commission after it was announced by Chairman Daniel Stepanek that the longtime commissioner and former chair would step down from the post after more than 30 years. “From the bottom of our hearts, I want to thank you very much and everyone else does too,” Stepanek said during impromptu remarks following roll call. Englund described his time on the commission as “in many ways very rewarding, very exciting, very interesting.”

“And unfortunately I’m getting a little older than I used to be,” he told more than a dozen attendees, most of them on hand for the Weed Street subdivision/driveway item. “I’m 93 years old, I move a little slower and I think it’s time to begin back away from some of the commissions that I am a member of, so I will say it’s been a very interesting time, I’ve met a lot of interesting people, the members of the commission have always been interesting, thoughtful and when they joined they’ve been neophytes but they learned their lessons rather quickly and everybody has done a wonderful job.”

Stepanek said celebrations marking Englund’s tenure and contributions are planned for December. ***

Clients of the New Canaan Food Pantry are doubly fortunate this growing season for the generosity of Lexi Gazy and the Farmers Market for the produce they’re donating to the pantry: Word is that groundhogs this summer got into the wonderful Gospel Garden right there at St.

Around Town

Despite Warnings, Unwanted Garbage Enclosure Lingers within Historic District

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The group of volunteers that oversees New Canaan’s historic district—a 21-building area around God’s Acre—say they intend, reluctantly, to assess a violation or fine for a Seminary Street resident who never got permission to set up a garbage can enclosure located in the driveway and has failed to communicate or comply with requests to do so. The Historic District Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to empower its acting chairman to contact the town’s lawyer and building department regarding 18 Seminary St. “I had previously been told that it would be changed in location and taken down from that place by the 15th of May,” Janet Lindstrom said of the plastic enclosure. Before structures within the district undergo exterior changes, approval is required from the commission. The relevant section of the Town Code is Chapter 31-6, which includes this language:
“No work on any type of structure which would change the appearance of any property within the Historic District when viewed from the street line shall be begun until the property owner has filed an application with the Building Inspector and has received a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic District Commission.”
The two-story house at 18 Seminary St.