Historic Romanesque mansion and adjacent children's playground

Sterling House Community Center

Location Stratford, CT

Category Cultural

Focus Area Facades Historic Restoration Roofs

Historic Restoration

Connecticut Building Congress Project Team Award

Designed by Bruce Price, the father of etiquette expert Emily Post and influential architect of Yale residence halls and Tuxedo Park cottages, Sterling House was completed in 1886. Originally home to Stratford’s wealthy Sterling family, the mansion was eventually willed to the people of Stratford by Cordelia Sterling, who founded the Sterling Community Center. Established on the principle to “welcome all – adults, children, and young people of the town, without regard to race or religion,” the stately Romanesque building now serves as a community resource center, hosting art and culture events, public service programs, youth and senior activities, and support to those in need. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Stratford Center Historic District.

When the 138-year-old landmark and treasured community resource received substantial federal and state grants for restoration and upgrades, Hoffmann joined a project team of interior designers, craftspeople, mechanical technicians, and restoration contractors as the exterior enclosure specialist. Together, the collaborative preservation team earned recognition from the town and the industry for restoring architectural integrity and improving safety and indoor comfort at the historic facility, all without disrupting the Center’s programming and services.

View Slideshow of the Sterling House Community Center case study

Sterling House Community Center is not only an architectural centerpiece of the neighborhood, but also a community hub that provides vital resources and programming.

Ornamental brickwork was cleaned and restored.

The existing, deteriorated slate roof had exceeded its lifespan and underwent full replacement.

Complex masonry and roof intersections were rehabilitated and restored.

Decorative elements, shown here before restoration, required sensitivity in preservation during the project.

Cracked and broken brick masonry. — Brick masonry was in need of repointing and repair.

Displaced shingles on a slate roof — Brick masonry was in need of repointing and repair.

Hoffmann’s design professionals coordinated with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to provide guidance to the project team in the appropriate treatment of the historic building. At the facades, the scope of exterior work included brick and brownstone masonry repointing and rehabilitation, comprehensive yet gentle cleaning of delicate historic masonry surfaces, and installation of new aluminum windows at masonry light wells. In addition to parapet wall reconstruction at a second-floor porch, the house’s main chimney was reconstructed from the roof ridge to the top, as was the north chimney from the third floor up. The project also included complete slate roof replacement with new copper flashings and wood fascia; existing ornamental terra cotta ridge covers and finials were restored and retained. For the existing gutters, composed of wood with copper liners, the project team replaced severely rotted sections and installed new copper liners. Low-slope roof areas also underwent replacement with a high-durability reinforced liquid membrane.

“We made a pact that we would keep our program and services fully operational the entire time. And that is no small feat.”
–Amanda Meeson, Executive Director, Sterling House Community Center

Hoffmann provided design development, contract documents, bidding assistance, and contract administration services for the project. By coordinating with project team members responsible for interior restoration, heating and ventilation upgrades, and safety/accessibility improvements, Hoffmann delivered the exterior restoration while Sterling House Community Center remained fully operational. From a daily food pantry to children’s programming to addiction and mental health support, the vital services offered to the community ran uninterrupted throughout construction. With a reinvigorated exterior that showcases the architectural legacy and community impact of the historic building, Sterling House Community Center stands in pride of place in the Stratford landscape, an inclusive space ready to “welcome all” for generations to come.

Slate roof replacement, showing construction workers on site — Slate roof replacement in progress, with a terra cotta ornamental finial set aside for restoration.

Romanesque historic community center with adjacent playground

Connecticut Building Congress Project Team Award