The Hotchkiss House, c. 1820, was the homestead of one of the founding families of the Westville section of New Haven, Connecticut. Abandoned for several decades during the early 1900s, the most recent incarnation of 9 Austin Street was as a private college dormitory and an illegal rooming house.
It also became the site of various activities which allowed the property to fall into disrepair. A 1960s addition, deemed structurally unsound, was condemned.
In 2007, on the brink of complete demolition, the property was purchased by a group of neighborhood preservationists. The new owners retained Kenneth Boroson Architects to design the full renovation of this historic building, which encompassed demolition of the condemned addition and complete restoration of the original house.
While many of the home’s original elements were restored, wood flooring reclaimed from a local college gymnasium was also used. In addition, it is now code-compliant and fully accessible. While the new owners’ original intent was to create a two-family house, the historic preservation grants used for the renovation required that a component of the structure be planned for public use. Now a stop on walking tours of historic village properties, the Hotchkiss House is currently a bed & breakfast and art gallery known as The Austin Street Inn.
Type:
Historic Renovation
Program:
Bed & Breakfast
Area:
3,000 sf
Construction Cost:
$450,000
Project Status:
Completed in 2009
