New Haven Restoration

Originally built in 1899, The Washington Building was originally an office building with a significant beer garden on its first and cellar levels.  Located steps away from the New Haven Green, the richly decorated Neoclassical four-story stone, brick, and terracotta building sits in the center of a revitalizing downtown, across the street from the new Gateway Community College and a historic marble bank.

Riding the wave of a rejuvenated downtown, the Washington Building has been converted to a modern mixed-use building that preserves and restores and celebrates its historic charm and detail.  Eighteen new one-bedroom and studio apartments on the upper three floors integrate original materials like mosaic floors and high plaster beamed ceilings with new modern features, creating loft-like living spaces filled with light and character.  The beer garden’s public spaces in the cellar are now repurposed for common amenity spaces, aglow in magical light from restored art glass vaults.

The entire exterior of the building was restored as a part of the project.  Brick and terracotta details were carefully cleaned and repaired, with new matching brick replacing mismatched material added in the 1990’s at the south-facing courtyard. Previously disassembled cast iron fluted Ionic columns were reinstalled, stone and cast iron sign bands exposed, with new metal and glass storefronts with marble bases recreating the original storefront configuration.  The many interior and exterior restorations involved in the project have qualified it for state and federal historic preservation tax credits.

For more photos of this building, visit the project page here.