Spotlight on Norwalk's Historic Districts

A historic district is a locally, state, and/or nationally recognized area of culturally and architecturally significant buildings. These buildings are usually at least 50 years old, contain many original features, and are often associated with important people, events, or architectural styles.

First incorporated as a town in 1651 and later as a city in 1893, the City of Norwalk was known for its booming oyster farming industry. Today, Norwalk’s many historic districts help to preserve its cultural and architectural legacy.

Nationally-Recognized Historic Districts

[caption id="attachment_2386" align="aligncenter" width="720"]Five Mile River Landing Historic District: Listed in 2009, this 7.2-acre district features Greek Revival, Federal, and Late Gothic Revival buildings. Photo Credit: Mike Mushak[/caption]

Five Mile River Landing Historic District: Listed in 2009, this 7.2-acre district features Greek Revival, Federal, and Late Gothic Revival buildings.

Haviland and Elizabeth Streets-Hanford Place Historic District: Listed in 1988, this 4.2-acre district features buildings in Italianate, Second Empire and Queen Anne styles.

Norwalk Green Historic District: Listed in 1987, this 35-acre district features a variety of historically significant architectural styles including Colonial, Greek Revival, Second Empire, Federal, Italianate, Colonial Revival, American Four-Square, Queen Anne, Bungalow, Shingle, Stick, Georgian Revival and Gothic Revival.

Rowayton Depot Historic District: Listed in 2019, this 68-acre district features historically significant architecture, community planning and development, and transportation features.

Silvermine Center Historic District: Listed in 2009, this 100-acre district features buildings in Federal, Colonial, Greek Revival, Queen Anne, and Colonial Revival styles.

[caption id="attachment_2389" align="aligncenter" width="720"]Connecticut Historical Commission Photo Credit: Connecticut Historical Commission[/caption]

South Main and Washington Streets Historic District: Also known as the SoNo Historic District, this 5.5-acre district, featuring historically significant homes, businesses, and a theater, was first recognized in 1977.

The Lodges Historic District: Located at 68 and 70 South Main Street, this small historic district was designated in 2020 due to its cultural significance. These buildings served as social meeting halls for two fraternal orders, the Loyal Order of Moose and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Verneur Pratt Historic District: Listed in 2011, this 2.8-acre district was once home to Verneur Edmund Pratt, who invented the optigraph, an early microfilm reader.

Wall Street Historic District: Recognized in 2009, this 5.7-acre district features buildings from Italianate, Romanesque, Spanish Colonial Revival, Classical Revival, and Moderne styles.

[caption id="attachment_2390" align="aligncenter" width="720"]Whistleville Illustration The Cecil Group for the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency Photo Credit: The Cecil Group for the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency[/caption]

Whistleville Historic District: Listed in 2021, this district encompasses an 84-acre area around the South Norwalk train station. The railroad played a pivotal role in the city’s history as a distribution center for commerce. Historically home to immigrants from Hungary and Italy who worked in the city’s factories, the Whistleville Historic District features many historically significant homes and two churches.

Village Creek Historic District: Established in 1949 as one of the first racially integrated planned communities in the U.S., Village Creek is a 37-acre neighborhood featuring Modernist architecture and shared open spaces like a marina, playground, and private beach. Designed with a commitment to inclusivity, the community overcame early real estate and financial barriers, maintaining its distinct mid-century character and social progressivism​. Oysterman’s Row Historic District: Located along the Five Mile River, this district is known for its collection of 18th and 19th-century homes, which reflect the architectural styles of the period, including Colonial, Federal, and Greek Revival. These homes, originally built by sea captains and merchants, tell the story of Norwalk’s once-thriving shipbuilding and trading economy. The river provided ideal conditions for oyster farming, an industry that shaped the local economy and community identity for generations. [caption id="attachment_2391" align="aligncenter" width="723"]Photo Credit: Connecticut Historical Commission Photo Credit: Connecticut Historical Commission[/caption]

State-Recognized Historic Districts

  • West Main Street Historic District: Listed in 2005
  • Pudding Lane Historic District: Listed in 2005
  • Camp Street Historic District: Listed in 2007

In addition to historic districts, the City of Norwalk is home to several significant landmarks.

National Historic Landmark: Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum

A stunning example of Second Empire architecture, this National Historic Landmark represents 19th-century wealth and innovation. Considered one of the earliest and most significant examples of a Second Empire home in the nation, the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion was built from 1864-1868 by railroad tycoon LeGrand Lockwood.

Well ahead of its time, the mansion featured indoor hot and cold plumbing, gas lighting, ventilation, and a central heating system that burned a ton of coal a day. Later owned by the Mathews family, the estate was sold to the city of Norwalk in 1941. The mansion became a National Historic Landmark in 1971, after a group of local preservationists saved the building from demolition.

Mill Hill Historic Park

Overseen by the Norwalk Historical Society, Mill Hill Historic Park is home to several historic buildings. The Norwalk Town House, built in 1835, served as the town’s gathering place and administration building. The Governor Fitch Law Office, c. 1740, was once part of Governor Thomas Fitch’s home. It has been reconstructed at Mill Hill as a law office.

The Downtown District School House, built in 1826, was a school until 1871. A century later, it was relocated to Mill Hill and restored. Also included in the park is Norwalk’s third oldest cemetery, the Mill Hill Burying Ground; a building from A. E. Smith & Sons Pottery Company, known as The Lockup; and a barn from 1880.

The park grounds are open year-round, from sunrise to sunset. The historic buildings are open during special events and by appointment for group tours, which are offered from May - September.

[caption id="attachment_2392" align="aligncenter" width="720"]Earth Day 2024 Photo Credit: Norwalk Earth Day 2024[/caption]

The Norwalk Green

Norwalk Green is a public gathering place that dates back to the 1600s. Each year, a Summer Concert Series and Annual Holiday Tree Lighting are held in the park. Norwalk Green can also be rented for private events.

Overlooking the Green are two historic churches, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (c. 1930) and the First Congregational Church (c. 1917). The churches hold seasonal farmers' markets.

Adaptive Reuse

[caption id="attachment_2398" align="aligncenter" width="772"]Oysterman's Row Photo Credit: Tod Bryant[/caption]

Not all historic buildings become museums. In the SoNo community, there are many great examples of adaptive reuse of historic buildings. The Maritime Aquarium was once an abandoned ironworks factory from the 1860s. The SoNo Lodges, featuring lofts, apartments, and workspaces, were once social meeting halls for two fraternal orders, the Loyal Order of Moose and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The Brim & Crown apartments were once the Hat Corporation factory from 1929 and Shirt Factory Lofts were once the Le Roy Shirt Factory from 1921.

Preservation Efforts in Norwalk

Maintaining Norwalk’s historic character is a community effort. Local government, non-profit organizations and residents alike all play a role in preserving the city’s history. Some key players in this effort include:

Norwalk Historical Society: A non-profit organization incorporated in 1899 to research, preserve, and promote interest in the history of Norwalk, the Historical Society’s educational exhibits, programs and lectures highlight Norwalk’s rich history and diversity. The Norwalk Historical Society manages and operates the Norwalk Historical Society Museum and Mill Hill Historic Park.

Norwalk Preservation Trust: Founded in 2003, Norwalk Preservation Trust is a non-profit organization that advocates for Norwalk’s architectural heritage and serves as a preservation resource for property owners, residents, and developers, as well as other organizations and government agencies.

Historic Facade Improvement Grant Program: This program provides financial assistance for restoring and maintaining the exterior facades of historic buildings. Learn more here. Historic Preservation Regulations: These approved regulations aim to further protect Norwalk’s historic structures and districts. View pages 314-315 in article 4 here.

Norwalk Preservation Trust

The Norwalk Preservation Trust has been working to preserve Norwalk’s historic buildings and neighborhoods, the architectural legacy, since 2002. The Preservation Trust works with homeowners, developers, and business owners, as well as state and local governments, to provide advice and support on historic preservation issues. The efforts have supported an update of the Norwalk Historic Resource Inventory and some of the historic preservation elements of Norwalk’s Plan of Conservation and Development. The Trust worked to establish Norwalk’s demolition delay ordinance to allow property owners time to consider preservation over demolition, and the Norwalk Trust has invoked that ordinance when necessary. The Norwalk Preservation Trust have led 13 tours of Norwalk’s historic buildings and sponsored many lectures and workshops. These efforts and others have earned NPT recognition and awards from the U.S. Congress, the Connecticut General Assembly, the Governor of Connecticut, Preservation Connecticut, and the City of Norwalk. NPT is always looking for volunteers, members, and even those willing to serve on the Board of Directors. To learn more about NPT and how to support historic preservation in Norwalk, visit thier website.

Why It Matters

“Norwalk is a very old city, but little remains of our early history. What is left of our historic buildings, neighborhoods and streetscapes tell the story of the last three and a half centuries of our city and its residents. Streets lined with old buildings, or even a single charismatic house, are the soul of a community. When we have been away, they welcome us back and let us know that we’re home. They hold stories that most of us will never know, but their presence alone speaks to us of place and community. The more of these buildings we lose, the more we lose what makes Norwalk - Norwalk.” — Tod Bryant, President of the Norwalk Preservation Trust.

What You Can Do

  1. Join and support the Norwalk Preservation Trust, the Norwalk Historical Society or Historic Rowayton
  2. Have your historic house plaqued by the Norwalk Historical Society
  3. Join or follow online Preservation Connecticut, statewide historic preservation nonprofit, Connecticut Preservation Action, a statewide lobbying nonprofit with a Have your historic house plaqued by the Norwalk Historical Society and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, The National Historic Preservation Organization
  4. Follow the news of historic preservation-related topics and support them.

Stay Connected & Support Historic Norwalk

Norwalk’s historic districts and landmarks tell the story of our city’s past while shaping our future. By preserving these sites, we ensure that future generations can appreciate Norwalk’s architectural and cultural heritage. Want to stay updated on preservation efforts, historic events, and volunteer opportunities? Sign up in the footer below for updates from Norwalk Tomorrow and be part of the movement to protect our city’s history!

What Are Accessory Dwelling Units and Does Connecticut Allow Them?

Accessory Dwelling Unit Laws in Norwalk Connecticut Families come in a variety of shapes and sizes. More younger family members are living at home for longer. Older family members are also beginning to move in with younger members to be taken care of or to help with childcare. Regardless of what your family looks like, it’s important to have enough space for everyone in your household. Accessory dwelling units (ADU) are one way to add space to a single-family home. When considering adding on an ADU or rental property, there are a lot of things to think about. What exactly are ADUs, what benefits will it have on your home, and what are the laws about them in Connecticut? 

What are Accessory Dwelling Units?

ADUs go by many names. Mother-in-law suites, backyard cottages, accessory apartments, and granny pods are just a few.  At their heart, ADUs are a second, smaller house or apartment that is either attached to or detached from the primary residence. For example, people often have an ADU in their basement or backyard. The size and location of ADUs on a property are typically determined by that municipality’s zoning regulations.  There will be a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and living room area. Each dwelling can be catered to a specific person or family size. Building ADUs can vary in cost depending on where you build them and how big they are. Creating one in your existing house, like the basement, can be cheaper because you don’t have to deal with adding walls, foundations, or plumbing. If you build one detached from your home, you will have the added expense of new plumbing and electrical hookups, but it can be more customizable.

Benefits for Single Family Homes

Accessory Dwelling Units ADUs for Single Family Homes If you have a single-family home, it can be hard to house extra family members or children who need to live at home longer but want their own space. One of the biggest benefits of owning an ADU is that you create space for family members who need it. Depending on the location of the dwelling, you can also rent it out to make extra income. ADUs can increase the value of your property by 20%-30%. It can also appeal to more buyers when you go to sell your home. These dwellings can also help reduce gentrification and desegregate neighborhoods by giving opportunities to people who otherwise might not be able to afford to live in certain neighborhoods.

Accessory Dwelling Unit Laws in Connecticut 

The laws around accessory dwellings in Connecticut changed in 2021. Public Act 21-29 legislation requires towns to designate specific zones where ADUs are permitted as-of-right, either attached to or detached from the single-family house.  However, towns can opt-out and set their own requirements for ADUs or not allow them at all. One exception to this is that towns cannot require a minimum square footage. Be sure to check your local requirements before building.

ADU Laws in Norwalk, Connecticut

In Norwalk, CT ADU regulations were adopted in 1982, with updates adopted by the Planning & Zoning Commission at their December 8, 2022 meeting. There are currently 259 accessory apartments in the city. After reviewing the new state laws, the Commission agreed with the majority of the new state law. In fact, many of Norwalk’s current ADU regulations already complied with the law, including:
  • ADUs are permitted in all zones where the primary use of a property is a single-family residence
  • ADUs are allowed to be attached to or within a single-family residence
  • Setbacks and building frontage must be less than or equal to that required for single family residences
  • No more than one parking space for an ADU  
  • A familial, marital, or employment relationship between the  accessory apartment occupant and single family residence owners is not required 
  • Separately billed utilities are not required
The one area of concern for the Commission was the allowed height of a detached ADU, which the new state law requires to be the same as what is allowed for single-family houses. In Norwalk, the maximum allowable height for a detached ADU varies between 15’-20’, depending on the location of the detached ADU. Additionally, the Norwalk Planning and Zoning Commission updated the design and landscape standards for ADUs, stating, “For detached accessory dwelling units, a buffer, consisting of fencing and/or vegetative screening that includes a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees as well as foundation plantings, shall be required between the accessory dwelling unit and the nearest side and rear property lines. The final determination on the location of the screening and the required materials shall be determined by the Zoning Enforcement Officer, based on the proposed location of the detached accessory dwelling unit and its proximity to the neighboring properties.” Prohibited Structures In Norwalk, the following structures are prohibited and shall not be used as an accessory dwelling unit:
  • Mobile homes
  • Recreational vehicles
  • Travel trailers
  • Shipping containers
  • Storage containers
  • Any other wheeled or transportable structures

Procedure for Approval

A certificate in the form of an affidavit that verifies that the owner continues to reside on the premises, the minimum rental duration, and all other conditions met at the time of the original application remain unchanged and shall be submitted to the Zoning Enforcement Officer by January 31 of each year.  Applications for attached accessory dwelling units shall be permitted subject to approval by the Zoning Enforcement Officer, and applications for detached accessory dwelling units shall be permitted by the Planning and Zoning Commission, subject to Section 118-1451 with a site plan review.  Both forms of approval are considered as-of-right, which comply with the standards established by Public Act 21-29.

South Norwalk Digital Equity and Smart City Public Workshop

Tuesday, August 13, 2024 6 – 7:30 pm In-person & online South Norwalk Library, 10 Washington St

  Please join us for an interactive workshop to help the City of Norwalk and the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency determine which technology investments can improve economic opportunities, safety, and quality of life in South Norwalk. The event will include a presentation and an interactive session where attendees can share their thoughts and opinions. Light refreshments will be served. If you would like to attend, please register, and we will send you additional information before the meeting.

Register Here

  RDA-Smart-City-Workshop-AUG-2024-Norwalk-Tomorrow

Zoning Regulations Update

  • November 21st, 2023 - virtual
  • December 5th, 2023 - hybrid
  • December 6th, 2023 - hybrid
   

Zoning Regulations Update

  • December 6th, 2023 - hybrid
Download Flyer PDF  

Zoning Regulations Update

  • December 5th, 2023 - hybrid
  • December 6th, 2023 - hybrid
Download Flyer PDF  

Norwalk Talks Housing!

  • November 16th, 2023 - in person
  • November 30th, 2023 - virtual (ZOOM LINK)

Norwalk Talks Housing!

  • November 16th, 2023 - in person
  • November 30th, 2023 - virtual

Resilient South Norwalk

Virtual Public Hearings on Proposed Zoning Regulations Update June 28

Virtual Public Hearings on Proposed Zoning Regulations Update

June 21st, 6pm and June 28th, 6pm
 
The City of Norwalk is updating our zoning regulations, which has not been done in over 30 years! The Planning & Zoning Commission is holding virtual upblic hearings on June 21st and June 28th. Though changes will not impact all properties, we would like to hear from you. To attend a hearing, please click the link.