Danbury’s Old Courthouse to Get New Life Thanks to City Takeover

According to a City of Danbury press release, Mayor Roberto Alves just made a pretty big announcement: Danbury is about to take over the old Fairfield County Courthouse on Main Street. Yep, the historic building at 71 Main could soon belong to the City — all that’s left is the green light from Governor Ned Lamont.

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City leaders have been working on this project for quite some time, and now it's finally happening. Mayor Alves has been coordinating with state leaders to make it happen and says this move helps preserve an important piece of Danbury’s history, while also opening the door to some new possibilities for the space.

Photo: Lou Milano

So what’s the plan? The city wants to use the building for public and community services. Think: city offices, educational programs, maybe even mock trials for students in the old courtroom — which honestly sounds pretty cool.

Photo: Lou Milano

Additionally, Danbury scored $200,000 in Brownfield funding from WestCOG to start an environmental assessment of the site. That’s step one in figuring out what kind of cleanup and renovations the building will need before it can be brought back to life.

Bonus: The city also got another $200K to assess a former hat factory at 13 Barnum Court. The goal? See what it’ll take to clean it up and turn it into something useful again.

This is really good news, a building with this kind of beauty was not meant to sit and rot. I've been paying close attention to the potential future of this building because I'm such a fan of the architecture and significance of the building. In fact, I took the pictures you see in this article, back in 2021. I was along for the ride to collect photos and information as reps from the State of Connecticut met with city leaders.

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I think this calls for a huzzah!

Below you can find more photos and some amazing facts about the Fairfield County Courthouse.

Inside the Holding Cells and Grand Rooms of Danbury's Fairfield County Courthouse

One of Danbury's most significant buildings is the vacant courthouse on Main Street. I took a tour of it recently and captured images to share with you. This is a look at the judge's chambers, inside the holding cells and around the grand courtroom of the Fairfield County Courthouse.

Gallery Credit: Lou Milano

44 Images From Inside the Haunting + Historic Old Jail in Danbury

Rich history and survival is the story of Danbury's Old Jail. It's historical significance in the Hat City is unquestionable, and many residents know some of the facts. What people may not know, is that it took great effort on the part of many Danbury residents to keep it protected. It's not a miracle that it stands today, it's a result of hard work and respect for the City's narrative. Here I share with you some of the facts that make the Old Jail special, the work it took to keep it intact and why I found the space haunting.

Gallery Credit: Lou Milano

Exploring Beyond the Rusty Gates of Danbury's Oldest Cemetery on Wooster Street

I live just down the block from the Wooster Street Cemetery and whenever I pass, I am always struck at how odd it is. You have this quiet, beautiful place that is dedicated to the people who were buried there, in the middle of a busy city and almost no one ever goes there. I decided to go take a deeper look around and see what was beyond the iron gates and stone walls.

Gallery Credit: Lou Milano

Source: Danbury’s Old Courthouse to Get New Life Thanks to City Takeover

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