Date: Fri 23-May-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Hawley-Inn-historic-district

Full Text:

Hawley Inn Gets Historic District Approval

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

The developers who are renovating the former Hawley Manor Inn this week

received the unanimous approval of the Borough of Newtown Historic District

Commission for nine minor changes to the plans which were approved last fall.

Some of the alterations were described as "wish list items" which will be done

eventually, but probably not before the new Mary Hawley Inn opens sometime in

July, according to Philip Manger, one of the partners in Hawley Inn, LLC.

Mr Manger, Thomas Belli and John Vouros represented the developers, who were

requesting a certificate of appropriateness for the alterations at the hearing

in the borough offices at Town Hall South Monday night.

The commission members who attended the meeting included Kathy Jamison,

chairman; Stephanie Gaston, secretary; Betsy Evans, member; and Patrick Hill,

alternate member.

"Our intent is to bring this building as far back as possible to a historic

look," Mr Belli said, explaining that much of the historical character was

lost in modernizations by previous owners.

The developers asked to be permitted to replace existing and rotted

double-hung windows on the north side of the inn with 10- to 14-foot fixed

divided light glass panels. The windows vary slightly in length because of an

inside handicapped ramp, they said.

The existing restaurant signs will be replaced with new colonial-style signs.

These must be approved by the Borough Zoning Commission.

The existing vertical siding will be replaced with cedar shingles from the

front door south and west to the southwest corner of the building. The

shingles will be painted white, accented with black shutters.

The asphalt sidewalk in front of the inn - about 100 feet of blacktop - will

be replaced with flagstone to match the new handicap ramp.

Eventually the developers want to create a covered portico to recreate the

look of the building as it appeared when Mary Hawley lived there. And they

intend, at some point, to build a dormer over the center front windows of the

second floor, also to recreate the look of the original building.

"The main issue about the portico could be whether it would provide fire

access for fire trucks," Mr Belli said. "There may be height considerations."

The split rail fence in front of the building will be replaced, in stages,

probably with a white picket fence, the developers said. Once drainage

problems are resolved, the concrete driveway on the north side of the property

may be sealed and covered with stone.

"There are some serious drainage issues so it may have to be blacktop," Mr

Belli said. "But we really would prefer to use the oil and stone."

Mr Belli said Ed Baumer, who lives next door and uses the driveway for access

to his property, has been fertilizing the large trees in front of the inn and

mowing part of the lawn as a neighborly gesture.

The developers also said rooftop heating and air conditioning equipment will

be placed in an unobtrusive area at the rear and screened from view, if

necessary.

Mrs Jamison said the approvals issued by the commission may have a time limit.

If the optional work doesn't begin before the approvals run out, the

developers may have to ask for an extension, she said.

"It will be exciting to have a vibrant facility here," she added. "It will

bring a lot of energy and good spirit back to Main Street."

After the hearing, Mr Belli said his group reached a settlement with the

Kenosia Construction Company of Danbury on May 14.

"Kenosia will be partners in some of the site work on the property," he said.

"There are no remaining issues."

The developers replaced Kenosia with a new contractor, Clearheart Construction

Company of Bethel, last month after the project, originally scheduled to be

completed last December, lagged far behind.

"Devery Stickles of Newtown is the president of Clearheart - he's doing a

great job," Mr Belli said. "We hope to be ready to open in early July."

Built in the 1820s as the home of Cyrenius H. Booth, the house was gutted when

it was remodeled in 1870 by the Hawley family and in 1930 when it became an

inn.