Main Street Preservation Planning Study

Click here for Main Street Preservation Planning Study Final Report.

Copies of the Final Report can be found at the South Windsor Public Library, the Wood Memorial Library, and at Town Hall in the Clerk's Office and Planning Department.
 

South Windsor’s Main Street is recognized as an impressive historic record of Connecticut River Valley architecture and an intact historic land use pattern that has preserved a charming character offering a glimpse into a vibrant past. In addition to the historic structures dating from 1700 to 1857, the overall collection of long narrow lots, agricultural land, and a traditional disposition toward the main road are presently preserved and offer a unique opportunity to enhance an entire environment of historic significance. Currently, a portion of the Main Street corridor is included in the East Windsor Hill Historic District. While the State and National Historic registers promote visibility and recognition of the historic resources, they don’t offer specific tools for the future enhancement of the district.

The Town of South Windsor has undertaken a preservation planning study of the Main Street area to identify implementation actions that will better protect and enhance the district in the future.  The Planning and Zoning Commission heard the concerns of residents raised during the 2013 update of the Town Plan of Conservation and Development in which residents identified the Main Street area as high on the list as a neighborhood to preserve and protect for historical and rural significance and other planning related issues. A Vibrant Communities Initiative Grant from the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation funded the year long effort of public outreach and professional guidance from the The Cecil Group, a planning and design firm based in Boston charged with identifying a shared community vision for Main Street's future and to offer preservation planning strategies to help shape that future.

The consultant team and town staff met with the community to better understand the issues and opportunities and to help shape preservation planning strategies. This public outreach included stakeholder interviews, presentations, and discussion at monthly steering committee meetings and three public workshop meetings. Our hope is that the Main Street Preservation Planning Study Final Report will serve for use as reference, guide, and inspiration as South Windsor moves forward in time to meet change as will inevitably occur along our historic Main Street.

For additional information, contact:
Michele Lipe, AICP, Director of Planning
(860) 644-2511 Ext. 252
Click here to contact by email.

Town Staff

NameTitle

Director of Planning

Town Engineer

Senior Environmental Planner

Brad Schide

CT Trust for Historic Preservation

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