Preservationists from around the state are
hoping to convince developers to retain two historic houses as part of a new
mixed-use development at the former Elmcrest Psychiatric Institute, a mental
hospital located on Marlborough
Street (CT 66) in the town center. The hospital
closed several years ago, and now developers Anthony
Fonda and Fred Hassan are planning new construction on the 14-acre property
that will include shopping, offices, restaurants, and residential units. One existing
house, the John H. Sage house, a Queen Anne structure built in 1884, will
remain as part of the new development.
Two other
houses on the property would be demolished under the current plans. The
Hart-Jarvis house, built 1829-30, is an elegant Federal/Greek Revival house in
the form of a classical temple with flanking wings. It was the childhood home
of Elizabeth Hart Colt, wife of Samuel Colt and a prominent Hartford businesswoman and philanthropist.
Next to it is the Erastus Brainerd, Jr., house (1852), a monumental Italianate
villa with Indian ornament—a characteristically inventive design by the New Haven architect Henry
Austin. Both houses also have significant ties to Portland’s
brownstone quarries, which supplied building stone for projects from New York to Maine
and beyond.
These
houses rank among Portland’s—and, indeed, Connecticut’s—most
distinguished buildings and they would give great distinction to any
well-designed development that included them. Early plans called for moving and
renovating the houses, but the developers dropped this idea and now say they
will construct ‘replicas,’ employing salvaged architectural elements.
The Portland Historical Society,
working with the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism’s Historic Preservation
and Museum Division, the Connecticut Trust’s Circuit Rider, and local volunteers,
has led an effort to convince Fonda and Hassan that reusing the houses is
indeed feasible. Both buildings retain a high level of architectural integrity and
appear to be structurally sound. Many similar buildings, and many buildings in
worse condition, have been converted successfully to commercial, office, or
multifamily residential use. The houses appear to be eligible for National
Register listing, which would allow them to qualify for federal Historic
Rehabilitation tax credits.
A hearing
before the Portland Planning and Zoning Commission was scheduled for early
June, but it has been postponed until July 9, at the developers’ request. By
then preservationists and the developer will have had an opportunity to meet to
discuss how to save the buildings.
