Yale and the New Haven Preservation Trust approved a landmark agreement concerning the development of six historic Yale buildings, according to an announcement by President Richard C. Levin and Preservation Trust President Edward S.K. Bottomley.
The agreement, which concludes several months of discussion, establishes principles to guide Yale and the Preservation Trust in the future. It calls for continuing consultation between the two parties on the specifics of designs for the six sites. The agreement is the first of its kind the University has ever made regarding the disposition of historic campus buildings.
Among the properties addressed in the agreement is the 1868 Davies Mansion at 393 Prospect St., which has been vacant for 25 years. Restoration of its exterior based on historical evidence will begin this year. Significant interior spaces, including the grand staircase, will be restored after Yale determines a permanent use for the mansion. Work on the Davies Mansion demonstrates Yale's understanding of and commitment to preservation values outlined in the agreement.
Also included in the agreement are the John Pierpoint House, now Yale's Visitor Information Center at 149 Elm St., the Skinner-Trowbridge House at 46 Hillhouse Ave., and the Abigail Whelpley House at 31 Hillhouse Ave. The Visitor Information Center is the oldest building facing the New Haven Green, and the portion of the structure dating from the 18th century will be fully restored.
The exteriors of 31 and 46 Hillhouse Ave. will be restored and significant interior decorative elements will be retained. Widely recognized as one of the nation's finest streetscapes, Hillhouse Avenue is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and remains a showcase of 19th-century architecture. Prior to this agreement, Yale had not determined whether to restore the structure at 31 Hillhouse Ave. All of the buildings on the block will be used to support academic programs at Yale.
"The Trust has encouraged us to look at the need for balance between preservation and change," says University Planner Pam Delphenich. "Its efforts have been persuasive for several of these properties."
Another building named in the agreement, Maple Cottage, at 85 Trumbull St., is to be razed and replaced in time by a building to conform to its surroundings. The Kingsley/Blake House at 88 Trumbull St. is to be marketed for a year. Yale will donate the building to a new owner for relocation. If no owner can be found, the structure will be razed.
Among the principles adopted by Yale and the Trust in the agreement are that the desirability of New Haven as a place to live and study "depends heavily on the physical appeal of the University's campus and of the surrounding neighborhoods," and that changes in the built environment are "part of a continuously living community."