Milford Selling John Downs Property, Keeping Historic Home

For years the historic John Downs property on 139 North Street has sat empty and gutted. Now, the town has the impetus to utilize the building with its original investment recouped.

The city of Milford is selling the 2.1 acres of property to the parent company of the Milford Hospital, announced outgoing Mayor James Richetelli at a press conference on Friday. Once the property is transferred, the Torry Corporation is donating the house and .3 acres back to the town. The town is then free to do what they like with it.

"There also is the option – Torry Corporation doesn’t care – they’ll donate it to the city or the city’s designee,” Richetelli said. “So if the city at some point in the future decided to donate it or transfer to an entity like the historical society, they could do that.”

Richetelli said the Milford Hospital plans to expand its offices, while Milford taxpayers will collect $860,000, which is how much the land and refurbishing of the building cost in 2002.

Meanwhile, the building will be preserved for future use – although what exactly that use entails remains to be seen. There have been talks of a meeting hall or museum, but nothing conclusive.

“This was important to me because this was one of the projects that was on my desk when I came into office ten years ago," said Richetelli, who took office in 2001 and is leaving this year. “Historic preservation and open space has been an important part of my administration but I always wanted to close out the Downs House. Ten years of having something sit on your desk is a long time.”

The deal, while set in a contract, is not official until the Board of Alderman and the Planning & Zoning Commission approves the deal.

The property once housed John Downs, a Connecticut minuteman who fought in the Revolutionary War. He fought throughout Connecticut and New York, including the Battle of Harlem Heights, all while keeping a diary of his exploits.