Connecticut Trust For Historic Preservation

The Making Places program originated in the State's Investment in Connecticut: State Historic Preservation Plan 2011-2016, which recognized Connecticut’s “heritage in industry and manufacturing” and the challenges to preservation and rehabilitation resulting from environmental contamination, vacancy and other factors. The plan recommended a statewide survey of industrial buildings to list as many eligible industrial properties on the National Register in coming years to increase the number of industrial buildings eligible for tax credits, thereby encouraging their re-use. Consistent with these goals, PCT's Making Places program began in 2013 as a joint project with the State Historic Preservation Office to identify, document, and promote the re-use of Connecticut’s historic mills through historic resource inventory, preservation education, raising public awareness, and providing technical assistance.

In fall 2018, Wesleyan University Press published Connecticut Architecture: Stories of 100 Places, by Christopher Wigren, PCT's deputy director. The first comprehensive illustrated history of Connecticut architecture, the book features more than 200 illustrations and is organized thematically. Sections include concise entries that treat notable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities, emphasizing the importance of the built environment and its impact on our sense of place. The text highlights key architectural features and trends and relates buildings to the local and regional histories they represent. A project of PCT, the book reflects more than 30 years of fieldwork and research in statewide architectural survey and National Register of Historic Places programs. A book talk tour is still ongoing with over 50 completed talks all across the state.

PCT operates a preservation easement program that protects 39 properties covering over 90 acres, including office buildings in New Haven, condominium complexes in Norwich and New Milford, a number of single-family houses including one in Derby, and open land that provides historic settings for early farmhouses in Ledyard and Ashford. An easement is a legal agreement that grants a limited right to an organization, like the Trust, to protect the property from changes that are not in keeping with its historic, architectural, or natural character. By granting an easement, the property owner does not give ownership, control, or use of the property or the right to sell, donate, or bequeath the property. The easement is usually given in perpetuity, meaning that it stays with the property through successive owners. Our staff over 25 years of experience in tailoring easements to ensure long-term stewardship of historic properties. An easement endowment is used for enforcement costs.

The Connecticut Preservation Annual Awards honor outstanding achievements in protecting and enhancing Connecticut’s significant buildings, landscapes, and communities. Awards recognize achievement in significant efforts in the restoration, preservation or adaptive use of historic resources, consistent stewardship over time, sustainability practices in historic buildings, effective leadership in the field, and young preservationists who demonstrate involvement, achievement or potential in preservation.In 2018 and 2019, we gave 20 awards to projects all over Connecticut. Four of those awards (20%) were awarded in the Greater New Haven area to an assortment of preservation efforts including the restoration of Milford's Sanford-Bristol House, an outstanding rehabilitation project of a Victorian home in New Haven, and New Haven's federal courthouse.  This event also raises money through sponsorships.