Tuttle Building Preservation

About the Tuttle Building Preservation Effort

The Tuttle House has stood as a local treasure in Naugatuck for over 140 years, admired for its beauty, craftsmanship, and historical significance. When the Naugatuck Historical Society officially opened its museum in the Tuttle Building on December 10, 2022, we proudly accepted the responsibility of preserving this remarkable structure while expanding public access to its history.

Even before opening day, our dedicated volunteers began taking thoughtful steps to protect and care for the building. Since then, we have continued this important work through planning, partnerships, and grant-funded projects aimed at restoration and responsible growth.

The Tuttle Building was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 29, 1990. This designation recognizes the building as part of a national effort to protect and honor the historic places that shape our shared story. The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of our country’s historic buildings, districts, sites, structures, and objects worthy of preservation. It was established through the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and is overseen by the National Park Service.

The Tuttle Building is also located within the Naugatuck Center Historic District, which was added to the National Register on July 30, 1999. This district includes 160 structures, of which 137 are considered “contributing” due to their historical or architectural significance. Together, they form a unique and irreplaceable part of Naugatuck’s identity.

This page will serve as a timeline of our ongoing preservation efforts. From grant awards and architectural assessments to future restoration plans and public enhancements, we invite you to follow along as we work to care for the Tuttle Building - our home and a treasured landmark for generations to come.

July 2025 Update

Thanks to a generous $20,000 Planning Grant from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), matched by the Borough, the Historical Society is moving forward with plans to restore and preserve the exterior of the Tuttle House. This grant also supports early planning to expand public access to the second floor for exhibits, research, and educational use.

After reviewing proposals from seven architectural preservation firms, we selected DeCarlo & Doll through a highly competitive process. On July 1, preservation specialist Stephanie Hoagland and architect Robert Grzywacz from DeCarlo & Doll visited the Tuttle House to begin their assessment.

During their visit, they closely examined the brickwork, windows, brownstone trim, and woodwork on the exterior of the building. Architect Grzywacz noted the incredible detail in the wood and stonework and shared that the original architectural drawings were not very accurate - even the size of the bricks turned out to be different than expected! Meanwhile, Ms. Hoagland took paint samples and inspected the materials to help us better understand the building’s original color scheme and construction.

As part of the next steps, Mr. Grzywacz will develop plans for a new second-floor exit and an updated fire suppression system. These improvements are necessary before we can open the second floor to the public.

Our team is now working with Borough grant writer Danielle Goewey and SHPO to apply for a construction grant that would fund these much-needed exterior repairs and safety upgrades. Grant decisions are expected in early 2026.

We look forward to sharing more progress as we continue preserving the Tuttle Building and making more of this historic space available for the community to enjoy.

June 2025 Update

We are continuing to make progress on our SHPO Planning Grant project with DeCarlo & Doll, the architectural firm selected to assess and guide restoration of the Tuttle Building. Although the original inspection was expected to be completed by late May, we have been informed that the architectural drawings are still in progress, and inspections will follow shortly. We will continue to follow up and keep things on track, since this planning phase must be finished before we can apply for construction funding.

In more promising news, the Borough has officially been invited to submit a full application for a SHPO Historic Restoration Fund construction grant. This is an important next step that could help fund the actual restoration work we have been planning. A mandatory meeting for applicants is scheduled in July, and all application materials are due in October.

It is important to note that competition for this grant is expected to be very high. In addition, there is some uncertainty about federal funding for historic preservation programs in 2026 (Historic Preservation Under Threat - The National Conference of
State Historic Preservation Officers), which may impact future grant opportunities. We will continue to move forward and share updates as they develop.

May 2025 Update

On May 14, Jim Stewart and Joe Hadam met with Robert Grzywacz from DeCarlo & Doll, who is leading the planning and assessment work for the Tuttle Building. During the site visit, Mr. Grzywacz took photos, examined some of the brickwork, and noted that the bricks were smaller than expected, meaning more detailed masonry work might be needed. He also asked about original paint colors and discussed using a lift to inspect the upper parts of the building’s exterior.

While the planning schedule set by DeCarlo & Doll is still considered doable, we have not yet received confirmation of an exact date for the full inspection. This is a bit concerning, since the original timeline listed May 23 as the target for completing that step. We will continue to follow up to stay on track.

In addition, we are still waiting to hear whether the Town will be invited to submit a full application for a SHPO construction grant, which would help fund the restoration work. SHPO guidelines noted that applicants would be notified by May 16, but as of this writing, we have not yet received an update.

April 2025 Update

On April 1, the Borough of Naugatuck officially approved and signed a contract with DeCarlo & Doll, the architectural firm leading the exterior restoration planning. This work is funded by a State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Planning Grant, matched by Borough funds.

As part of this next phase, DeCarlo & Doll submitted a Technical Proposal outlining a detailed timeline and scope of work. The goal is to complete all planning activities, including architectural inspections, restoration planning, and safety code recommendations, by August 7, 2025.
The work in this phase includes:
- A thorough inspection of the brickwork, brownstone details, and wooden trim
- Analysis of paint layers to help identify the building’s original color scheme
- Evaluation of the structure’s fire safety and emergency exit needs, especially for expanding public access to the second floor
- The development of biddable construction documents, which are required for future restoration work
The professional team includes:
- Robert Grzywacz (Architect / Project Manager), DeCarlo & Doll
- Mary Jablonski, building conservation expert, Jablonski Building Conservation, Inc.
- Ken Woodward, cost estimator, Construction Cost Solutions, LLC
A member of the Historical Society will serve as the main point of contact during this planning phase.
At the same time, the Town submitted a pre-application for the SHPO Historic Restoration Fund (HRF) construction grant. This grant request totals $200,000 in matching funds and will be used to fund physical restoration work, including both exterior preservation and interior safety improvements.
SHPO will review all pre-applications and notify selected communities in May. Those invited will then have the opportunity to submit a full construction grant proposal. Successful completion of the planning grant is required to remain eligible for this next round of funding, making the August deadline especially important.
Lastly, the Historical Society is still awaiting a timeline from the Borough regarding the installation of new exterior security cameras, which are part of our broader effort to protect and maintain the building as a welcoming and secure space for the community.

February 2025 Update

On February 14, representatives from the Historical Society and the Borough attended the official bid opening for the SHPO Planning Grant project. Seven qualified architectural preservation firms submitted proposals. These proposals focused on the project’s key priorities:

Repairing and repointing the brick and masonry
Restoring and painting wood trim
Planning for a second-floor exit
Improving the fire suppression system for the main staircase

This grant covers planning only, not construction. The selected firm will assess the condition of the building’s exterior and provide preliminary designs and rough cost estimates for future restoration work. All firms that applied are SHPO-approved and have experience working with historic buildings across Connecticut. Each proposal included detailed team resumes, references, and required legal and insurance documents.

A small review committee, including representatives from the Historical Society and the Town, will select two or three firms to give presentations before making a final choice. The selected firm will begin work on inspection, documentation, and planning.

We also reviewed the timeline for applying to the SHPO Historic Restoration Fund Construction Grant, which would fund actual restoration work:

March 28, 2025 – Letter of intent due
May 16, 2025 – Notification of who may submit full proposals
June 14, 2025 – Mandatory applicant workshop
October 17, 2025 – Final application deadline
November 21, 2025 – Notification of whether applications move forward
January 2026 – Historic Preservation Council votes on funding
February 17, 2026 – Required project management workshop
Spring 2026 – Construction begins (must be completed within two years)

The Town is also working on improvements to the building’s exterior security cameras. Jim Kallipolites has requested updated quotes and has confirmed the Town’s commitment to replacing them.

June 2017 - Fire at the Tuttle Building

On June 7, 2017, the Tuttle Building experienced a fire during an ongoing renovation project. The fire was contained to a portion of the roof and one room in the attic, but water damage extended through the center of the building on all floors. Thankfully, no one was injured.

Firefighters from the Naugatuck Fire Department, Waterbury Fire Department, and Beacon Hose Company #1 responded quickly and worked together to save this historic landmark. Scaffolding already in place helped crews reach the affected areas efficiently.

In the days that followed, the focus shifted to removing water and humidity from the building to prevent additional damage or mold. The full extent of the damage could not be assessed immediately, but the Naugatuck Historical Society and the Borough pledged to work together on recovery and repair efforts.

This incident marked a major setback in the Tuttle House’s preservation journey, but it also reinforced the community’s commitment to protecting one of Naugatuck’s most treasured historic buildings.

Video of Fire | Video of Fire

Former Naugatuck Historical Society President Ken Hanks:

“Many Board of Education employees have reported over the years that the Tuttle House is haunted by the ghost of Mrs Tuttle. Whether one believes in ghosts or spirits or not, there are some interesting stories told of people alone in the building hearing what sounds like a spoon stirring a tea cup. After a friendly "good morning Mrs Tuttle" the sound stops.

One odd incident that occurred during the fire Wednesday is how the newly installed fire sprinkler activated. In the picture below on the left you can see where the fire burned across a ceiling in a room on the 3rd floor. A finger of fire went to a sprinkler head causing it to activate and control the fire. A sprinkler head 8 feet away in the same room did not go off.

A photograph shows a ghostly image of what appears to be a seated woman on the 3rd floor of the Tuttle House. The picture was taken several years ago by a BoE employee.

The fire sprinkler that activated is in the room to the immediate left of the image. We are not claiming there was ghostly help in directing the fire to the sprinkler, that is up to you to decide for yourself. There is no doubt that without the sprinklers going off, one in the room and another in the attic above the room, the fire loss would have been catastrophic.”

Sprinkler that activated is on the silver object on the wall. Fire went to the sprinkler in an unusual burn pattern. (Ken Hanks)
Close up of picture of 3rd floor in the Tuttle House. (Ken Hanks)
Picture of the 3rd floor and what appears to be an image of a woman sitting. Fire occured in the room to the left of image. (Ken Hanks)