NORWALK, CT – On Thursday, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) joined state and local officials to celebrate the completion of a $1.2 million restoration project at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum in Norwalk, CT.
CTDOT officials presented a commemorative plaque to Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling, officials of the Norwalk Historical Commission and the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum to mark the completion of the restoration and improvements to the perimeter fence and monuments at the Mansion. The project is an initiative between the City of Norwalk and CTDOT under the Walk Bridge Program.
“Together, we all worked to address the impacts of the Walk Bridge Project on the surrounding areas. We did this for the benefit of the community and the public. This partnership represented a commitment to the people we serve and being able to lead this project on behalf of the State was a privilege,” stated CTDOT Commissioner Joseph Giulietti.
The project includes repair, restoration and reinstallation of the original iron fencing, gates and associated masonry at the original entrance to the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion on West Avenue in Norwalk, CT. The 62-room Mansion, which the City of Norwalk owns, was built in 1868 by financier LeGrand Lockwood. It is one of the earliest examples of French Empire Style architecture in the country and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1971.
“We are blessed in Norwalk with a robust and storied history, ” said City of Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling. “It has helped shape who we are today, and we remember that history as we move into the future. I appreciate the partnership with the Connecticut Department of Transportation as we have been able to preserve our historic resources. This kind of stewardship and care ensures we can keep these treasures intact for future generations to enjoy.”
Construction for the state-funded project started in April 2020 and was performed by McNamee Construction of Waterbury, CT. The project involved removing and restoring the original wrought-iron fence, cleaning, relocating and restoring nine driveway monuments to align with the sidewalk, and installing the newly restored wrought iron-fence panels and masonry work. The Designer/Engineer of Record for the project was HNTB, with restoration work completed by Architectural Ironworks of Plainfield, CT, repainted by NikLyn Corp. of Durham, CT and installed by Eagle Fence of Plainville, CT. The project was fully completed in May 2021.
“We are grateful to the Connecticut Department of Transportation and delighted to celebrate the installation of the historic Lockwood Family era iron fencing along West Avenue,” said Patsy Brescia, Chairman, Board of Trustees at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum. “It celebrates the elegance of the Mansion and introduces Mathews Park to the heritage of this National Historic Landmark.”
The Walk Bridge Program consists of several inter-related rail and infrastructure projects in Norwalk, CT. The centerpiece of the Program is the replacement of the 125-year-old Norwalk River Railroad (Walk) Bridge. The new bridge enhances the safety and reliability of rail service, offers operational flexibility, and provides increased capacity and efficiencies of rail transportation along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) while maintaining and improving navigational capacity and dependability in the Norwalk River. For more information about the projects on the Walk Bridge Program, please visit www.WalkBridgeCT.com.
