Downtown New Haven

New Haven Museum // 1929

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New Haven, Connecticut is known for its Gothic and Modernist architecture, but as it is located in New England, some good Colonial Revival architecture is not hard to find! The New Haven Museum building on Whitney Avenue was built for the New Haven Colony Historical Society, which was established in 1862 to collect, preserve, and publish historical matter related to the history of the greater New Haven community. The Society was housed in various locations around the city throughout the 19th century until 1929 when it relocated to its present building designed by J. Frederick Kelly, a noted colonial revival architect. The symmetrical building with its eleven-bay facade is notable for its arched recessed portico and rooftop cupola. The building remains occupied by the New Haven Museum to this day.

Connecticut Financial Center // 1990

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The Connecticut Financial Center is the tallest building in New Haven, Connecticut, and the sixth tallest building in the state. The 383-foot postmodern skyscraper was designed by the Toronto architectural firm Crang and Boake and completed in 1990, replacing the Powell Building (last post), New Haven’s first skyscraper. The Connecticut Financial Center is sited facing the New Haven Green wedged between the iconic New Haven City Hall and Federal Courthouse, and dwarfs both in size, creating a really unpleasant addition to the block. The building is at least clad in stone, a subtle nod to the adjacent buildings and has a more traditional first floor lobby set back from the street.

Powell Building // 1921-1990

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Even skyscrapers face the wrecking-ball…The Powell Building was among New Haven’s first building recognized as a “skyscraper.” Built in 1921, the commercial building is Neo-Gothic Revival in style with the two bottom stories and the two top stories are detailed in Gothic motifs, with eight more plain floors between. The resulting shaft-like appearance distinguishes the Powell Building from other contemporary commercial structures in the city, which are essentially heightened versions of various historical styles. The architect, Roy W. Foote, was among New Haven’s leading architects in the first half of the 20th century, largely due to his local efforts in high-rise construction. The Powell Building was erected as a speculative venture by Albert H. Powell, whose primary business was a wholesale coal dealership. Early occupants were professional offices and a bank at the first floor. The building historically was located at the New Haven Green, between the Victorian Gothic City Hall and Classical Federal Courthouse. The building was sadly razed by 1990 by the New Haven Redevelopment Authority, who were VERY active in town knocking down neighborhoods in the second half of the 20th century. It was replaced by the Connecticut Financial Center skyscraper, currently New Haven’s tallest building.

Tontine Hotel // 1824-1913

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Historically, inns and taverns offered short-term stays for visitors to New Haven, Connecticut. As the town developed and Yale College grew, land-owners began to realize the potential for larger, centrally located hotels. Established in 1824 and fronting the Town Green, the Tontine Hotel stood for less than 100 years, but was a prominent establishment in the city. The hotel was designed by architect David Hoadley and it hosted many well-known individuals including Native American chief and orator Red Jacket, who gave a speech here in 1829, and Daniel Webster, who came here in 1832. When more modern hotels were built in the early 20th century, the Tontine saw declining and less fancy clientele. The site was slated for redevelopment and the block was demolished in 1913 for the new Federal Courthouse and Post Office (last post).

Richard C. Lee U. S. Courthouse // 1913

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Image by Brandon Bartoszek

The monumental Richard C. Lee U.S. Courthouse is located on the west side of the Town Green in New Haven, Connecticut, a stone’s throw from the New Haven City Hall. The building is an excellent example of Classical Revival architecture. The building originally served both as a courthouse and post office, although the post office moved to another location in 1979. James Gamble Rogers designed the building, which was constructed between 1913 and 1919. Rogers was also the architect for structures at Yale University, his alma mater (more on some of those later). The building was the last to be designed under the auspices of the Tarsney Act (1890-1912), which allowed the Treasury Department to hire private architects rather than use only designers employed by the federal government. Classical architecture was commonly seen in federal building design during the early twentieth century because officials believed it conveyed the dignity of the federal government. The New Haven courthouse displays several hallmarks of the style, including the colossal portico and pediment with columns capped by Corinthian capitals. The courthouse was slated for demolition in the 1960s as part of an urban renewal plan. However, a coalition of federal judges and local historic preservationists rallied to save it. In 1998, the building was renamed to honor Richard C. Lee, a former New Haven mayor who was a pivotal figure in the building’s preservation as well as the city’s revitalization.