Renovations To Mansfield's Old Town Hall And Old Town Office Buildings Are Complete

MANSFIELD, CT — Renovations to Mansfield's Old Town Hall and Old Town Office buildings are complete, marking the end of a months-long restoration project led by the town and the Mansfield Historical Society.

Work on the Old Town Hall began in late July with extensive exterior sheathing repairs to prepare the building for blown-in insulation and replacement clapboard siding. New siding was installed in August, followed by exterior painting of both historic buildings. Inside the Old Town Hall, crews repaired and refinished ceiling and plaster walls, completing that phase of work in October.

Also in August, the chimney at the rear of the Old Town Hall was demolished and rebuilt. Officials said the structure had deteriorated to the point that a full reconstruction was more efficient and cost-effective than repairs, according to the historical society.

At the adjacent stone building, renovations focused on accessibility and infrastructure upgrades. The flat roof on the 1957 addition was rebuilt, and construction began on a new accessible restroom. Interior work included installation of plumbing and electrical systems, followed by sheetrock, tile, painting, and fixtures. The restroom was completed in November.

Spray foam insulation was added to the attic of the stone building to improve energy efficiency and create better conditions for artifact storage," according to the historical society.

Site work included backfilling behind the stone building and between the two structures, allowing construction of a new accessible rear entrance to the stone building. Contractors cut through the building’s thick stone wall to create the doorway, a process officials described as especially challenging, according to the historical society.

Installation of the new accessible doors was delayed for several months because the doors were custom-built, according to the historical society. Temporary plywood coverings remained in place until the stone building’s door arrived in mid-November. Installation took longer than expected, and the second door, at the rear of Old Town Hall, was not installed until early January, according to the historical society.

During the delay, crews completed cleanup work and installed new gutters on both buildings, according to the historical society. The gutters connect to a new drainage system that directs roof runoff away from the structures and into the storm drain along Route 195.

Town officials and the Mansfield Historical Society said remaining interior work will be completed jointly. Additional site improvements are scheduled for the spring, including construction of an ADA-compliant ramp and sidewalk at the rear of the buildings, paving of the driveway and part of the parking lot, and reseeding of the front lawn and the north side of Old Town Hall. Seeding completed last fall failed due to early cold weather, according to the historical society.