HDC Seeks White House Protection

At its May meeting last evening, the Historic District Commission passed a resolution to petition the Town Council to include the Shakespeare Theater administration building (a/k/a the White House) in the Historic District in order to help protect it from demolition.

It is not entirely clear whether the Town Council has jurisdiction to do that, or whether including the Elm Street property in the Historic District (whose present southern boundary is Ferry Blvd.) would help to protect it. But it's a meaningful first step in organizing support to protect and (it is hope) rehabilitate Stratford's last "Grand Mansion."

Is the 'White House' on Death Row?

This week e-mails have been flying back and forth about the fate of the Shakespeare Theater administration building on Elm Street, a/k/a the 'White House'.

Councilman Matt Catalano (R-3) explains in a e-mail from earlier today:

The white house lost part of its roof and the fire marshall deemed the house unsafe. PW [the town's Department of Public Works] is to suspend all service to the building and cut utilities. The Mayor wants to tear the building down and that discussion is starting in earnest.

It's been mentioned a tear down/rebuild is an easier sell (to the mayor) but ultimately the [Town] Council has control. We have $1.3 million bonded that needs to go to salvage the building or build a new one, if we could trust that to happen. I'm leery. Either way we need to maintain that property for a "center for the arts" Shakespeare museum, admin office space.

There you have it. Your comments on what role OSNA ought to play in this would be most welcome.