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June 6, 2011Downtown Torrington

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Since 2003, CT Main Street Center’s Awards of Excellence have recognized outstanding projects, initiatives, partnerships and individuals who lead community efforts to bring our main streets back to life socially and economically. Communities that are successful in revitalizing their main streets truly embrace and embody a commitment to civic action. Tonight is about celebrating that commitment.

We are delighted that Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal have honored 2011 award-winning projects with certificates, offering recognition from the State of Connecticut and from the United States Senate.

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�� Director of Development, Knox Parks Foundation2005 CT Main Street Executive of the Year

� �� Vice President, MarketingConnecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc.

��!��"��#�$Vice President, PlanimetricsPresident, CT Chapter American Planning Assoc.

Our jury, representing collective expertise in main street development, has selected this year’s award winners. We thank Barb, Kristie and Jason for their generous contributions of time, effort and enthusiasm in the selection of our 2011 Award winners.

And now, we present our 2011 Awards of Excellence!

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Rita Rivera-RiemerNew London Main Street

Corinne DumaisSimsbury Main Street Partnership

Jeffrey RouleauMain Street Waterbury

Main Street Volunteers of the Year

New London Main Street Rita Rivera-Reimer

A dedicated Main Street volunteer with professional writing and graphic design skills, Rita is the co-chair of New London Main Street’s Map & Guide Brochure and chair of The Big Picture Community Photo event. Rita also writes for Main Street’s newsletter and website, writes press releases and often lends her graphic design expertise to projects. She brings leadership and outstanding communications skills to her work.

Simsbury Main Street Partnership Corinne Dumais

Corrine has given hundreds of hours of time overseeing the Simsbury Farmers’ Market, which came under the umbrella of Main Street in 2010. As Market Master she oversees all compliance issues, interfacing with numerous regulating bodies. She is also responsible for crop plans, ensuring a diverse market full of Connecticut grown and made products.

Main Street Waterbury Jeff Rouleau

Jeff has been a Main Street Waterbury volunteer for five years. He is presently the Chair of the Organization Committee and coordinates the monthly “Happy Hours”, which bring gatherings of 25 to 60 people to various downtown pubs and eateries. Jeff has recently worked with the staff of the Republican-American newspaper to enable the publication of the Main Street Waterbury / Downtown Business supplement, a sizable insert dedicated to the work of the organization and the downtown business community.

We thank these outstanding Main Street Volunteers!

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Peggie Ford Cosgrove& Patricia ButlerNew London Main Street

Susan ArsenaultSimsbury Main Street Partnership

Scott ZieglerMain Street Waterbury

Main Street Board Members of the Year

New London Main Street Patricia Butler & Peggie Ford Cosgrove

Pat & Peggie have lent their leadership skills to Main Street’s Board Development Committee for two consecutive years. Their 2010 Annual Appeal Campaign reached its $12,000 goal. Their focused campaign began by setting up a new area of the District website specifically for visitors to learn of the organization’s accomplishments and to make contributions on-line. Over 110 people gave generously to the appeal, and some contributed more than once as the campaign neared the finish line.

Simsbury Main Street Partnership Susan Arsenault

A Simsbury Main Street founding board member, Susan has been an outstanding member of the organization for the past 16 years. Her involvement in Main Street has helped shape the face of Simsbury today. A top-performing residential realtor, Susan has provided valuable information on the housing market to the Main Street board and to consultants performing Town Center studies. She has also served on the Design Committee, recently using her talents to help come up with a complete color palette for the restoration of Eno Memorial Hall.

Main Street Waterbury Scott Ziegler

Scott has been a member of Main Street’s Board for four years and currently serves as its Treasurer. He speaks calmly, wisely and helps generate sound solutions to the myriad issues and concerns the board faces. Scott supplies the conduit for bringing volunteers into the organization, running the Volunteer Orientation sessions – and he coordinates the hundreds of volunteers that enable the extraordinary success of the annual Brass City Brew Fest.

We thank these outstanding Main Street Board Members!

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Kim Pettey�� A Unique Boutique

Downtown New London

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52 State Street

New London

PINC! is a small boutique in the heart of downtown New London that offers one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted items, providing a unique inventory for its customers. Owner Kim Petteypartners with many local artists from New London and the surrounding area, and takes pride in the quality and creativity of the products she offers in her shop.

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Products that celebrate the

history & culture of New London

Kim originally opened her shop in October of 2009 with a partner who owned a complimentary business of custom-made window treatments and upholstery, sharing rent and overhead expenses. Within six months, her partner left to run her business out of her home. Kim reassessed her business plan and decided to make it work. She applied for a small grant from the City of New London for her signage. She worked four days a week at the boutique and kept another job in order to help pay her bills.

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Refurbished antique chair

Lounge chair and beach-themed set

Kim designs, refurbishes, creates & sells custom items in her downtown store

Festive seasonal items for the home

In order to increase inventory in the store, she partners with local artisans to display and sell their work. And she has extended her boutique by adding a public workspace in the back of her shop and offering open sewing and innovating arts & crafts workshops, targeting many different interests and age groups. These classes allow her not only to promote her business, but also to develop a relationship with potential clientele for other products and services in downtown.

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Pinc! supports New London Main Street’s Mardi Gras-themed annual fundraiser

Kim plays an active role in the downtown community, attending weekly business meetings with other merchants. She fully supports the New London Main Street program and supplied materials for mask-making workshops to support Main Street’s Mardi Gras fundraiser.

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Kim hosts workshops for

high school students.

In addition, she hosts local youth in designing, creating and donating masks to be sold prior and at the event. Kim also mentors local high school students with an interest in graphic design and business.

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Facebook TestimonialsPinc! Fan Page

PINC! relies on an active downtown life to attract foot traffic to her front door. New London offers many events year-round, indoors and outdoors, which is a great help to her business. Special events generate good businesses and increase tourism. With three colleges located in New London, Kim hopes to appeal to this young demographic and their visiting families and friends. And she is continually assessing the types of products and services she offers.

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Commissioned work for

B&B in Scranton PA.

Kim is working on a New

London line in 2011.

Kim believes that communities like New London, rich in history, culture and the arts, are exactly where a business likehers can thrive.

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Congratulations & Thank You, Kim Pettey!

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John CavaliereLyric Hall Antiques & Conservation

Westville Village, New Haven

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John Cavaliere bought his 1913 property in 2005,

relocating his business to the growing art district in

Westville Village. Central to John’s decision to purchase

and rehab the property was his unique vision for the

building: to serve not merely as a place to house and

conduct his business, but as a community gathering place

for the neighborhood and the broader New Haven

community.

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For hidden in the back of the building were the remains of

a vaudeville theater and nickelodeon, the one-time West

Rock Theater. Despite its decrepit state, the theater and

its vast potential sealed the deal for John.

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The building had fallen victim to decades of neglect and ad

hoc renovations. It required a near gut renovation to

become merely a functional workplace for John’s antique

restoration business.

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He began by focusing on carving out a studio and

showroom, an Egyptian-Revival parlor, office and

meeting space, and a kitchen. The kitchen is a story

unto itself as “lunch with John” has developed its own

cachet, due in large part to John’s skill as an Italian chef

and graciousness as a host!

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The forgotten theater came next, and John poured

massive amounts of love, sweat, tears – and money – into

restoring this space. The theater restoration became a

model of green practice as John salvaged much of what

was needed to bring the theater back to life.

The theater

restoration process

viewed from the

stage in 2010.

Once used as an

auto repair shop!

20th century drop

ceiling removed & tin

ceiling restored.

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12-foot Doric columns for the stage came from a dumpster at a house renovation up the street, a balustrade for the balcony from a defunct downtown New Haven theater, and flooring for the stage from a local school’s old gymnasium. The theater’s original proscenium arch was lovingly restored and re-guilt, and a salvaged chandelier now hangs from the restored tin ceiling.

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John transformed the façade and remaining exterior of the

building into a showpiece, marking the eastern gateway to

the district. The resurrected theater has quickly become a

showcase for local cultural and community events. John

has cultivated and hosted everything from Halloween and

New Year’s Eve parties, birthday events for kids and

adults, concerts, dance parties, cabaret, debut plays,

historically-inspired musical theater, circus workshops,

book signings, Main Street programs, and everything in

between – all within the last year!

Sign Installation May 2010

The storefront

contains an

antique

restoration

shop.

The theater is in

the rear.

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The whole is now greater than the sum of its parts and Lyric Hall has become a vibrant and integral part of the neighborhood, a destination – a place – where there was none before.

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John Cavaliere models the preservation ethic, entrepreneurship,

community-mindedness, do-it-yourself spirit, and passion that

any Main Street could hope for from its property owners. He has

inspired others in Westville to become engaged in the work of

Main Street and has encouraged other property owners to create

their own dreams – to improve their buildings inside and out –

and to rethink their roles as not merely owners who provide

space to the community, rather also reflect, enhance and

celebrate the community itself as part of their work.

New facade includes new wooden porch, columns, entry walk, entryway roof with cedar shingles, paint, handmade sign and

handmade gilded eagle on the peak.

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Congratulations & Thank You, John Cavaliere!

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September 27, 2010: Torrington Downtown Partners

purchase seven buildings on Main and Water Streets

In September 2010, three local investors purchased seven foreclosed buildings in downtown Torrington. Steve Temkin, Steven Roth and David Bender made the commitment fully believing that the revitalization of the downtown was possible.

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September 30, 2010: Press Conference announcing the

opportunity to invest in downtown is offered to the public

The initial investors made the decision to invite the public to participate in a type of “legacy project” with a minimum investment of $100, hoping there were others who shared their vision – there are now over 150 partners.

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December 23, 2010: Frank Pennington recognized

as the 100th partner

The $100 signifies a belief in downtown, and the additional partners add momentum to the project, while investors are provided discounts at downtown shops and a voice in decisions regarding downtown.

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December 27, 2010: Partners announces the purchase

of two additional downtown buildings.

In late December 2010, Torrington Downtown Partners, LLC closed on two adjacent buildings that had been in foreclosure – bringing the total of Partners holdings to nine buildings.

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Aerial photo shows the nine buildings now owned by Torrington Downtown Partners, LLC

All are located in the heart of downtown Torrington and were constructed primarily between the late 1800’s and the early 20th century. Collectively there are 120,000 square feet of space including shops, office spaces, apartments, a ballroom and a warehouse.

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October 23, 2010: Torrington Downtown Partners

welcomes Mayor Ryan Bingham & visitors during the

Harvest Festival in downtown

Torrington Downtown Partners has appointed a Communications Director whose primary task is to be a liaison between the corporation and the partners, as well as the media representative.

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February 18, 2011: Partners are invited to vote on

awning selections for downtown doorways

Partners are asked for input on conceptual drawings of a proposed pedestrian bridge connecting the municipal parking lot to Water Street properties; asked to submit their suggestions and preferences for awning choices for street level properties; and are invited to Partners events and meet & greet receptions at the Warner Theatre.

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Presenting a check to cover the cost of the back cover ad

in the Nutmeg Conservatory’s Nutcracker playbill.

The partners have contributed to community anchors and organizations, including Nutmeg Conservatory, The Warner, Torrington Symphony, Connecticut Yankee Chorale, Northwest CT Chamber of Commerce, Torrington Historical Society, the Arts & Culture Commission, WAPJ and the Mill Town Collective. Torrington Downtown Partners was the first group to use the new Register Citizen Open Café Newsroom to announce their second acquisition on a live internet feed and have established strong connections with local media.

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Presenting a check to Warner Theater, as co-sponsors

of May 2011 production Jesus Christ Superstar

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Partners & Mill Town Collective decorated vacant

storefronts for the holidays. Soapbox derby cars borrowed

from the Torrington Historical Society.

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Meeting with the City Planner Marty O’Connor to

obtain permit for apartment renovations

They are currently renovating a 3-bedroom apartment, one of 20 similar 1,100 square foot apartments located on Water Street. They have new leases about to be signed with shop owners and have completed renovations on an office and information center for Torrington Downtown Partners.

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Local business, Iffland Lumber, delivers lumber to the apartment under renovation

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January 19, 2011: Steve Roth shares plans for downtown with

U. S. Senator Richard Blumenthal during his visit to Torrington

Guided by Temkin, Roth & Bender, the Torrington Downtown Partners have banded together to bring about positive change and to lift the downtown from years of neglect.

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New London Main Street’sSocial Media Campaign

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New London Main

Street’s Facebook

wall displays:

• Event promotion

• Impressions / status

• Percentage of

feedback from postings

In 2010 New London Main Street turned its attention to social media, particularly the use of Facebook, as a way to creatively engage downtown residents, employees, business owners and Main Street members and volunteers in the organization’s efforts to promote the Historic Waterfront District while also informing the public on the initiatives of New London Main Street and driving traffic to their website.

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Lunch atY-Knot Café

Restaurant owner

Kelly Anne:

“Thank you ladies

for coming in today,

it was truly a

pleasure serving

you. Hope to see

you again soon”.

The organization began by developing a social media plan: educating staff on social media marketing, delegating them to manage pages, and empowering them to develop creative campaigns that would draw attention. The plan also called for utilizing volunteers to assist with photographing visits to various businesses and communicating Main Street’s efforts to business owners and their employees. Guidelines established a professional presence and tone that should be conveyed in postings, while also being engaging and succinct.

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Lunch in the District

Goal: To highlight great restaurants

in the District, providing them

with free promotion.

Once the Facebook page was set up (with visuals and updates on projects, events and news stories from the New London Main Street website) the organization then decided to create focused campaigns that featured lots of images, promoting restaurants and retail venues in downtown. They began with “Lunch in the District” and the “Holiday Shopping Guide”, which introduced Main Street staff and volunteers to the public, demonstrating their personal and organizational support of downtown businesses.

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Highlights gift items made by local artists

– all from businesses located downtown.

Holiday

Shopping

Guide

Facebook has helped New London Main Street communicate with their constituency in a conversational, friendly manner which draws followers of all ages - from all walks of life.

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Carroll Spencer & her

purchases from

Christmas shopping

downtown, posted on

Facebook, drives

interest in shopping

downtown for the

holidays.

Holiday Shopping Guide

Facebook has also encouraged the New London community to become active members in the campaigns by eliciting their feedback, giving them the control to “like” and share something they enjoy, and comment on something they don’t.

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Increase in NLMS mailing list:

FB users sign up for NLMS emails

directly.

New London Main Street debuted its Facebook page in April 2010 with 150 fans – today there are well over 1,000. These fans are suggesting new places and experiences in downtown.

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Lunch in the Districtphotos of lunches purchased & feedback, which helps

identify successful campaigns.

Testimonials include such comments as “Every Friday I check the New London Main Street Facebook page to see where the staff ate lunch,” and “their postings and photos help bring some of the lesser known ‘hidden gems’ of downtown to the forefront of people’s minds.”

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New London Main Street staff at very first Lunch in the District

Lunch in the District

At

Tropical Breeze,

a new Spanish /

American lunch &

dinner cafe.

And Isaac Kremer of the Oyster Bay Main Street Association has shared, “I can’t tell you how many times these postings have made me want to leap out of my seat and sail across Long Island Sound to visit them!”

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Congratulations New London Main Street!

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First Birthday Street Fair& Art Opening

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2010 Street Fair flyer

1000distributed

across the state

Brazen Betties is a showcase for CT artisans and designers located in the heart of historic downtown Torrington. The main focus is to feature and represent the region’s most creative and talented, allowing them to gain exposure and bring attention to their work. Owner Julia Sloan has also articulatedan additional focus of Brazen Betties: to invigorate and bring together a community she calls home.

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� � � �� BY KURT MOFFETTREPUBLICAN-AMERICANTORRINGTON — On Sunday afternoon, a crowd of 100 or so people stood in a half-circle in the middle of Main Street watching models emerge from Brazen Betties wearing various vintage clothing styles.

The models walked past classic cars and on to a red carpet that took them to the center of the crowd.

Some onlookers whistled and hooted their approval. A handful of professional photographers snapped away. All the while, Brazen Betties owner Julia Sloan announced and described what each model was wearing.

The fashion show was part of Sloan’s idea for a street fair that celebrated her downtown store’s anniversary. She evenhad the crowd sing “HappyBirthday” to her store, and blewout a candle on a cake.

Local officials and business people praised Sloan for her efforts.

That particular school of thought became clear when her one-year anniversary rolled around. Ms. Sloan chose to host an afternoon event open to the public. The Brazen Betties First Birthday Street Fair & Art Opening attracted hundreds of people, many from out of town. The event was sponsored by Lighthouse Partners, a former downtown property owner.

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Julia chose to close Main Street at her own expense because she understood that an outdoor Main Street event would benefit surrounding merchants. She also understood that drawing hundreds of people to her event would give attendees an intimate look at downtown - and perhaps they might decide to embark on their own retail endeavors.

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The Shop Local

Sale

“Save 10% on any purchase

when you present a receipt from a non-big

box/chain store/restaurant!”

Julia’s endless promotion of her business and of area businesses does not stop at a street fair however. She promotes a Shop Local Sale, where customers save 10% on a Brazen Betties purchase if they bring a receipt from a Torrington non-big box / chain store or restaurant.

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Promoting the

Student Discount(10% off & FREE

Ramen)

&

“High Five Friday!”

(15% off)

Brazen Betties has an unusual and comedic approach to other promotions, such as “High Five Friday” where customers high-five the staff to receive 15% off any purchase, and a 10% student discount to college students and a free package of Ramen Noodles!

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Networking!

All promotions put more feet on the street and send customers directly to other Torrington businesses.

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Press

Congratulations Julia Sloan & Brazen Betties!

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District Gateways

New London Main Street

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Black out box

In 2001, the City Center District and the City of New London completed a $50,000 Master Beautification Plan which recommended the creation of gateways to the downtown as a priority action. Almost 10 years later New London Main Street offered to tackle the job. Convinced that downtown’s status as a National Register Historic District needed recognition, Main Street acknowledged the financial and construction challenges, but remained dedicated due to the anticipated positive impact on the community.

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To keep the scope of the project manageable, and at the recommendation of the City’s Office of Development and Planning, Main Street chose to complete gateways at two of the four recommended sites. Landscape Architect Elena Pascarella was hired to assess the sites and prepare conceptual drawings, which were reviewed and vetted by a community-wide committee.

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Gateways: Before & After

Designers, construction contractors and engineers were contracted for various aspects of the work through the Main Street office and with the involvement of the landscape architect.

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Gateways: Before & AfterDowntown Police Station

The committee decided upon a simple plan that incorporated gateway signs announcing the National Register status and the new District Logo set in small landscaped areas, with up-lighting, new sidewalks with granite curbing and ADA ramps and textured crosswalks.

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Crosswalks: Before & After

New London Main Street’s Volunteer Coordinator worked closely with the Landscape Architect (who generously donated a great deal of time to the project), overseeing the project andthe team of volunteers who implemented the landscaping over several days of digging, planting and mulching.

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Pfizer sponsors the

first District Gateway

Main Street secured $50,000 in grants and a $125,000 commitment from the City. Needing another $25,000 to complete the project, it successfully pitched a sponsorship to Pfizer for a permanent “banner” at the base of one of the signs.

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Wayfinding Signs

This project was done in conjunction with the long-awaited ConnDOT approval and installation of new signs on I-95 renaming “downtown” the “Historic Waterfront District”, which reinforces branding and coordinates with the gateway signs.

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Official Ribbon Cutting

Two gateways were completed in 2010 and were celebrated with an official ribbon cutting ceremony organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut.

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VolunteersDigging, planting & mulching

The overall goal of this project was to beautify the “front doors”of the city. Now, as visitors come to New London either from the Long Island Ferries or from I-95, they will get a message that this is a pleasant, well-cared for community with both a rich history and a new vitality.

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Downtown Torrington

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Bender Showrooms: Building #1, ground floor.

Housed in a 1905 brick building, Bender Plumbing’s newest showroom has a prime location on Main Street in Downtown Torrington. When met with the opportunity to restore the prominent locale into a kitchen and bath showroom, the challenges were significant.

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Dave Bender

Bender opted for a detailed renovation in hopes of preserving the spirit of the location. As the most extensive overhaul in recent downtown history, the showroom retains several historic elements. Featuring exposed brick walls and the original 14 foot tin ceilings, this renovation has been all about returning the space to its origins.

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Renovation & Discoveries

Old flooring tiles & new floorboards

Tin ceilings

Exposed brick

Created for retail, the space’s first use was as an apothecary and later a shoe repair shop. With careful excavation Bender Showrooms began to discover the hidden elements and restore the space, preserving everything possible. As elements were discovered the owners diligently worked on corresponding modern conveniences to create a working business.

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Renovated showroom featuring exposed brick,

new floorboards, and antique windows.Photos courtesy of Olsen Photography

Two layers of dropped ceiling covered the original tin. Antiquepaneling from other portions of the building was found in the basement. The original globe light fixtures now hang in the 2,000 square foot space. Replicate period moldings were also added to replace damaged or missing trim.

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Showcasing product

display.

Note exposed brick and

original windows,

formerly covered with

layers of wall.

Photos courtesy of Olsen Photography

After removing the concrete and plaster to reveal original brickwalls two other significant discoveries were made. Ten foot tall windows had been hidden behind three layers of wall, with antique panes intact! A delightful surprise came in discoveringa mural that had been painted on the exterior of an adjoining building.

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1895 Mural

announces the

new kitchen area

after

rehabilitation.Photos courtesy of Olsen Photography

Dated to 1895 the mural advertising “Trunks, Bags, etc” now shares a wall with the former clothier and the kitchen display area. To complete the exterior an oak façade was added to the building and stained in rich English chestnut, and antique stain glass windows complete the vintage feel of the building.

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Renovated showroom featuring original light globes

and tin ceiling.Photos courtesy of Olsen Photography

All elements of the rehabilitation were done through the use of local contractors. The Torrington Historical Society was consulted in the work, specifically for its assistance in authentic replications. Tremendous local support was received from every level of local government, from the economic development committee and the building department through to the mayor’s office.

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Taking a chance on a city with a depressed Main Street and undertaking such an extensive rehabilitation has been tremendously rewarding for its participants. Respecting the space’s origins has helped to change the look and positively impact the retail market of downtown Torrington. Aside from creating a retail market that draws customers from all of northwest Connecticut, this new Bender Showroom was the catalyst for creating Torrington Downtown Partners. Inspired by what downtown could become, this building rehabilitation has sparked a true legacy project for the City of Torrington.

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Congratulations Bender Showrooms!

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The Hodson Building68-70 Bank Street

Downtown Waterbury

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The

Hodson

Building

in the

1920s

The historic Hodson Building, at 68-70 Bank Street, had always held street-level retail with upper floor business office space. Architect and developer Parag Mehta was attracted to the composition of the building because it provided natural light from windows on three sides of the structure. He liked what he learned about the potential for Downtown Waterbury and brought his extensive knowledge of adaptive re-use from his development work in New York City.

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PM Architecture:New York City projects

Mr. Mehta chose to adapt the building to meet historic renovation criteria as well as LEED certification standards. He created 18 apartments with a mix of studio, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units. A number of loft units have 11-foot ceilings and all 18 have hardwood floors, central air, granite countertops in kitchens and bathrooms, and other attractive features.

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2007

Mr. Mehta’s goal was to create an attractive, highly desirable mixed-use structure. The marketing plan was to attract young professionals as tenants, based on the attractiveness and quality of the units and competitive rental rates. The audienceincluded college students, medical interns, municipal workers and others who want to live in an urban setting with reasonable rent fees and attractive surroundings. It was expected that this conversion would provide a financial asset to the developer while inspiring successful renovation of other downtown properties that would also be sound financial investments.

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Removal of

“decorative” elements

brings in natural light

The renovation requirements set for historic structures are demanding and time consuming – but Parag is experienced and stayed the course. He secured the services of a variety of qualified contractors. They cleaned the exterior brick and replaced all windows. The Hodson Building was selected for a Downtown Waterbury Façade Improvement Grant which enabled Parag to bring the façade back to an authentic look. Given his appreciation of good window space and natural light, he was happy to remove the horizontal concrete slabs that hid or shortened the windows and altered the building’s symmetry.

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Interior

Efficient use of interior space resulted in varied apartment layouts. Laundry facilities were placed on alternate floors, and ample hallway lighting was installed. Ultimately, Mr. Mehta presented his tenants with a building they could recognize as attractive, bright, efficient, convenient and safe.

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Interior Living Spaces

Although some on-street parking was available, providing desirable parking options became a concern. Main Street Waterbury arranged for Mr. Mehta to meet with the municipal parking authority to work out an arrangement for fee considerations so that tenants could affordably use a nearby ramp garage. Concerns for safety were addressed through installation of security locks on doorways and a camera system that views the street and sidewalk areas around the building. In order to meet the requirements for energy efficiency, Parag set his standards at the level of LEED-certified and built in mechanicals of that quality for all units.

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Façade work & ground floor

restaurant space

The previous street-level tenant had been a restaurant. Parag maintained that intent and prepared the 3,300 square feet of space for that purpose. Although the space is yet to be filled,Main Street Waterbury, Waterbury Development Corporation and the Waterbury Chamber’s Economic Development Coordinator have all worked to promote the space and secure interested tenant candidates.

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Downtown Waterbury

All 18 apartment units were filled within 7 months of completion. This influx of new residents on Bank Street has created an additional customer base for surrounding businesses in the downtown. It has further inspired neighboring building owners to explore the possibility of converting their buildings to residential as well. Several haveconsulted with Mr. Mehta to assist with historic tax credit applications.

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Apothecaries Hall Building

The Hodson Building

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The success of The Hodson Building encouraged Mr. Mehta to purchase the 1898 (6-story) Apothecaries Hall building directly across the street. The intent is to convert this historic commercial building to 10 more market rate apartments, thus ensuring additional residents on Bank Street and providing further economic development in the area.

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A historic

restoration that

brings

residents,

shoppers,

diners and

jobs to

downtown

Waterbury.

Congratulations Parag Mehta!

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Waterbury Development Corporation

City of Waterbury

Waterbury City Hall

Restoration

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Downtown WaterburyBrass Center of the World

The City of Waterbury hit its stride in the early 19th century when it began to make brass. For the next 100 years, “the Brass Center of the World” gained an international reputation for the quality and durability of its goods.

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Renowned architect Cass Gilbert designed

City Hall & the Chase Building, which anchor the

Waterbury Municipal Center Complex

In 1915 Waterbury dedicated its new City Hall designed by Cass Gilbert - at the time the nation’s foremost architect of great public buildings. During Waterbury’s growth many wonderful buildings were constructed, especially downtown, and City Hall was the centerpiece. Overtime, as the City’s fortunes began to slide, attention to maintaining its municipal buildings slipped. By the late 1990’s City Hall manifest many fire and safety code violations. In January 2005, vandalism caused severe water damage and the plaster ceilings started to fail. By the end of the year the Fire Chief requested alternate plans for bringing City Hall to compliance or closure.

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In 2006, following the defeat of a proposed $44 million referendum, the Mattatuck Historical Center and Museum facilitated a “Cass Gilbert Symposium”, raising awareness of the need to restore City Hall, positioning the issue beyond a parochial undertaking. At this point, Waterbury Development Corporation brought forth six options. In October 2007, after vigorous community debate, a compromise $36 million plan was approved and the Development Corporation, DownesConstruction Company, DeCarlo & Doll and artisans and other skilled restoration professionals moved forward on the work.

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Before Now

B U I L D I N G W A T E R B U R Y ‘ S F U T U R E

The original high quality construction materials presented challenges during the renovation. In 1915 the higher the grade of paint meant the higher the level of lead. Full plasterwalls had to be removed to rid the building of this containment.Double the anticipated asbestos was found and skilled remediation contractors were called in.

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�� Now

COURTYARD


One of the main goals of this project was to restore the building as close to the original look as possible. The grand hall on the first and second floors is identical today to the 1915 original. The project team was able to obtain this look by retaining all the original office doors on the corridor while changing the office layouts behind the corridor walls. Originalbrass door handles could not be re-used, as their shape did not meet ADA requirements. Therefore, replacement hardware was custom designed and finished to blend harmoniously with the period of the building.

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Before Now

MAYOR’S RECEPTION


The worn treads of the grand stairway in the foyer could not be repaired by using the underside, as was originally hoped. Luckily, the same Vermont quarry employed during the original construction was still in operation. Marble treads for each stair was mined as had been done 96 years before.

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Before Now

ALDERMANIC CHAMBERS


The honeycomb patterned ceilings in the main corridor and in the Aldermanic Chamber and Veterans Hall had been whitewashed over the years. Researchers found original black and white photographs that showed stencil work and inscriptions, but these could not show original color schemes. Through a combined effort of Project and Paint Conservationists the original paint colors were researched and confirmed. Today the building’s grand spaces reflect the exact color scheme Cass Gilbert intended. A forensic analysis was performed on all painted surfaces: 300 were taken in the Aldermanic Chamber alone.

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Before Now

VETERANS MEMORIAL CHAMBER


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Before Now

CITY CLERK


The City Hall restoration project was paid for through municipalbonds sold by the City. The 20-year bond has a fixed rate of 2.85% - this record low interest rate is the result of three main factors: the city’s recent strong financial management, improved financial condition over the past decade, and the availability of federally subsidized taxable bonds.

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The Republican American, the main newspaper for the City, covered the project from the initial debate over renovation to the reopening ceremonies. The newspaper’s publishers were given a tour of the building prior to rededication – and agreed to publish a full-color 35 page insert in the November 28, 2010 Sunday edition. The Mattatuck Museum held docent led tours of the building on a Saturday in December from 9am to 5pm. A tour left every 20 minutes and gave insight into the renovation and a first glance at the work performed. Every tour was fully booked and the public has demanded additional tour dates.

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The rededication ceremony was held on New Year’s Day 2011, attended by hundreds. A gala was held later that week and attended by 300 people who paid $100 each to attend.

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This detailed restoration project was completed on time and on budget. City employees and the various departments they work for are now returned to their home, thus eliminating rentalcosts for scattered locations. The restoration of Waterbury City Hall restored the City’s seat of government, preserved its premier historic building, and took a major step toward re-establishing the community’s identity and pride.

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Congratulations Waterbury Development Corporation and the City of Waterbury!

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NEW LONDON MAIN STREET

Previews on Parade

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Newly renovated Parade Plaza

Previews on Parade

Previews on Parade is an outdoor, noontime performance series that took place on Fridays in 2010 from June to September on the newly renovated Parade Plaza in downtown New London. Showcasing the Historic Waterfront District’s numerous cultural and culinary amenities, these events were designed to increase use of the District by city employees, residents and those who commute in and out of New London from nine neighboring towns.

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Nordet previews their performances at

Hygienic Art Park & Mystic Seaport

Parade Plaza is at the heart of the 26-block Historic Waterfront District and within walking distance to many downtown restaurants and shops. With its fountain, monument steps, amphitheater seating, benches and compelling waterfront views, the renovated Parade Plaza is once again envisioned as a gathering spot for residents, workers and visitors arriving by foot, car and adjacent rail and ferry service.

The 15-week series was free to the public and featured musicians, actors, and entertainers who were already scheduled to appear that evening or weekend at one of the more than 50 district arts, heritage or nightlife venues. Visible from the street and audible throughout the District, the performances created a lively community gathering place where the public was able to relax and join friends and colleagues for lunch while sampling all that the District has to offer.

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Jazz Underground previews

music of Kent Hewitt

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New London County Historical Society previews

Vintage Baseball and CT Historical Gardens Day

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The Rivergods preview Hygienic Art Park’s We Rock!

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The Garde Arts Center Previews Summer on Stage:

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David Dorfman Dance Company in residence

at Connecticut College

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Eastern CT Symphony Orchestra previews

Season Opener: The People are Heard

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Promotional rack cards for the event listed participating restaurants with contact information, where event attendees could order their lunch by 11:00 am and have it delivered to the Parade Plaza hospitality tent by noon.

Mother Nature provided a challenge in 2010 with extreme summer heat in the wide open and un-shaded space. A short-term solution was to borrow parasols from the local Thames River Greenery shop.

This summer a semi-permanent structure providing shade is being explored with the help of an architectural firm in The District.

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Many lunches were sold & enjoyed, while local

restaurants promoted at Previews on Parade

Bean and Leaf, Brie and Blue, Hanafin’s Irish Pub, Mangetout Organic café,

Muddy Waters, Passion Coffee House and Restaurant, Subway Downtown,

Thames River Greenery and Beanery

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New London Main

Street provides

complimentary parasols

to lunch-goers to beat

the summer heat

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Volunteers help with the set-up & breakdown, and staff

the Hospitality Table

Main Street’s summer interns:

local high school students & staff from Connecticut College.

For the initial year of the event, New London Main Street secured over $16,000 in corporate sponsors and grants. Main Street evaluated the success of the first year by monitoring attendance, documenting weather conditions each Friday, counting the number of lunches sold by participating restaurants, and by informally surveying and speaking with stakeholders at the conclusion of the series. Many participants went on to buy tickets to the actual performances that were previewed.

For many that took advantage of this new feature each Friday in the summer of 2010, it was a treat to sit on the steps of the central square, overlooking the river, to share a meal with others and take in some exciting and varied entertainment.

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On-site kiosk provides outlet for downtown organizations to sell

tickets to their performance venues.

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Workers &

residents enjoy

boxed lunches

while listening to

the Red Hot

Stove Tops

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Residents & pets come

out for a lunch break Some cycle in to join the fun

But Previews on Parade also made vibrant use of the recently opened and renovated city center plaza called The Parade. And we look forward to hearing what this and future summers bring.

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This event appealed to all ages

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New London businessmen meet and socialize during

the Jazz Underground preview performance


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Simsbury High School & the Simsbury Free Library

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Simsbury High School

Student Documentary Team

What started out as a seemingly simple, 20th century history assignment by high-schoolers, turned into a project that would make national news. 16 students, under the guidance of Richard Curtiss, Social Studies Chair at Simsbury High School, created a 15-minute documentary detailing the time and experiences of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his time in Simsbury. Using letters, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, notes and even an audio clip by Dr. King, the students began by interviewing Simsbury citizens who remembered King and fellow Morehouse College students who came to the area to work in tobacco fields – earning money to pay for their education.

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Research & Development

Bernice Martin, 105 years old,is interviewed for the documentary

The two summers that Dr. King spent in Simsbury, in 1944 and 1947, helped shape his decision to enter the ministry, and his path to becoming one of the most famous civil rights leaders in our nation’s history. That formative time spent in Connecticut was the focus of a documentary and special program commemorating the life and times of Dr. King.

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“Of course I was religious. I grew up in the church.

My father is a preacher, my grandfather was a

preacher, my great-grandfather was a preacher, my

only brother is a preacher, my daddy's brother is a

preacher. So I didn't have much choice.”

The project actually started out as something completely different – a small committee from First Church, where King worshipped while in Simsbury, wanted to create a memorial statue commemorating Dr. King’s time in Simsbury. When that stalled local businessman Rick Wagner stepped in. After considering such ideas as an essay-writing contest, Rick approach Rich Curtiss at Simsbury High School – and a film would shortly be born.

Rich donated countless hours to work with students, volunteering his time twice a week over last summer. And other partners were brought in: the Simsbury Free Library and Westminster School assisted with research necessary to make the film. Included in citizen interviews were Bernice Martin, 105 years old, whose husband was the Choir Director at First Church, and several gentlemen who played baseball against The Morehouse 9 during those summers.

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Martin Luther King Day 2011

Simsbury Town Center

The documentary, and the story behind it, has since captured national attention. But even more important is the local impactthe documentary has had. It uncovered and detailed a piece of Simsbury’s history of which many residents were unaware.

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Connecticut Congressman Chris MurphyWelcoming the Crowds & Congratulating Students

On January 17, 2011 Simsbury premiered the documentary at a special program at Eno Memorial Hall. In addition to the film there were readings and songs sung by the students. The turnout was so huge that a second showing was scheduled as hundreds of familiescame out on a very snowy day to share in the festivities. And on what would normally have been a sleepy winter Monday holiday, restaurants in Simsbury’s Town Center were jam-packed at the conclusion of the presentation.

The story of this documentary - and the work of the students and many adults behind the scenes, made national news – featured in newspapers across the country. The student documentary film makers were interviewed on National Public Radio and the CBS Nightly News with Katie Couric.

Thanks to Rich Curtiss and his students, we are pleased to show a short excerpt of the documentary.

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Talented Students Perform

at Eno Memorial Hall

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A Full House!

A 2nd showing scheduled!

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Simsbury resident and Main Street board member, Carole Wagner, has stated: “What made the biggest impression on me was that we were sitting in the same building that Dr. King once watched movies in, which is still around today because it has been preserved. There were several hundred people that joined me to honor Martin Luther King and his impact on this nation, and on one small community named Simsbury.”

Congratulations Simsbury High School & Simsbury Free Library!

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An open air European-style marketplace, set in the heart of

Torrington’s historic Main Street:

� Farmers Market� Nightly Jazz concerts� Exhibitor Showcase� Street Musicians� Street Performers� Art exhibit with artists painting� Guided historic downtown walking tours� Special performances� Outdoor dining

9 consecutive Thursday Nights2,000 plus average nightly attendance40% increase in local merchant business!

For nine weeks in the summer of 2010, Main Street in Torrington was transformed into a European Open Air Market. Arts Culture Torrington Commission (ACT) embarked upon this initiative to:

• foster and support the growing arts and culture community within the city’s historic downtown district;

• provide an event where the community would rediscover downtown; and

• bring vitality and economic growth to the heart of the city.

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AttractionsPetting zoo, face-painting, an award-winning jump-rope troupe,

ethnic dancers, crafters, actors, & places to sit and watch it all!

Main Street MarketPlace was a free event that featured a variety of activities and showcases designed to appeal to as many differentinterests as possible. Each week the market featured an exhibitor’s showcase with over 40 artisans, a farmers market offering locally grown farm fresh products, an open jam session for acoustic musicians to set up throughout Main Street, and an ART Out for visual artists to capture the sights and sounds of the MarketPlace.

To help sustain the public’s interest the market changed weekly, featuring different jazz bands, special weekly events, and street performers. Downtown merchants were encouraged to extend their hours and restaurants located on Main Street provided outdoor dining. The initiative was a huge success with over 2,000 visitors participating weekly.

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50 Exhibitors

Each week 40 tents were set up along Main Street by 4:00 pm and broken down by 9:00 pm. Lacking funds to hire staff, ACT reached out to Torrington High School, Northwest CT Community College and the Northwest Chamber’s Young Professionals Organization to provide volunteers. The High School and the College also provided interns to help with community & vendor surveys and vendor registration.

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Live Entertainment

With challenging economic times, ACT determined it was important for Main Street MarketPlace to be a free event. Over $16,000 was raised through sponsorships, an ad book, donations and vendor fees. Likewise, the promotional campaign was covered through partnerships with The Republican-American newspaper, WZBG (a local radio station), and the creation of a website: discovertorrington.com.

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Media Exposure

9 weeks of

regional and

state-wide

radio, print

and

television

media

coverage

Weekly email blasts were sent out by The Warner Theatre, the Northwest CT Chamber of Commerce and a MarketPlaceFacebook page. The positive economic impact of this event includes 4 new businesses making the decision to move to downtown – all expressing that their participation in MarketPlace was one of the reasons they decided to invest in Torrington.

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Photo by Jack Wallace

The success of Main Street MarketPlace can be summed up in a comment by Matt DiRienzi, Publisher of the Register Citizen newspaper: “I found myself entering half-a-dozen downtown businesses over the course of the summer, and have become a long-term customer of several of them. Every week, I participated in – and saw unfold around me – conversations and connections between old friends, classmates, neighbors and occasional business colleagues.”

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Main Street MarketPlace enabled residents and visitors to re-discover downtown and experience downtown restaurants, shop in local stores and appreciate the local arts and culture scene. Downtown Torrington has one of the largest inventories of art deco buildings in the state.

This event raised awareness of Torrington’s historical assets while providing an opportunity for the community to come together and discover the treasures that exist in their own backyard.

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July 1 – Aug 26, 2010 | 5-9pm | Main Street, Torrington

Congratulations to the Arts Culture Torrington Commission!

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