Keeler In The Community
We’ve Broken Ground on Our New Site Wayfinding & Accessibility Project!
April 3, 2023
A new wayfinding and accessibility project will transform Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center’s site! Above, general contractors Don Sturges (far left) and Jim Sturges (far right) of Sturges Brothers, Inc. kick off the construction with KTM&HC Board President Sara Champion (second from left) and Executive Director Hildegard Grob (second from right).
Ridgefield, Conn.— Big changes are happening at Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center (KTM&HC)! This March, the organization broke ground on a major site redesign project that will transform the four-acre site, prioritizing wayfinding and accessibility. The project – which includes new parking, driveways, brick walkways, lighting, landscaping, and signage – will ensure that visitors experience the site as a cohesive, accessible, and appealing historic attraction on foot as well as by car.
With an estimated completion date in late summer, this project will move quickly. Construction will have minimal impact on visitors, but the final results will be dramatic: a total of 65 parking spaces will be provided for regular museum visitors, staff, and private event attendees, in addition to two designated school bus drop-off/events loading areas. New brick walkways, lighting, and landscaping consisting of native shrubs and trees will enhance and complement KTM&HC’s existing historic and natural beauty. The first step in the project, which happened in March, was the demolition of a c. 1980s garage to create space for a circular driveway.
This project has been a long time in the making! KTM&HC began a preservation-minded and capacity-building effort to reintegrate its historic site in 2017, when the organization purchased 152 Main Street and began integrating it with 132 Main Street – two properties that had long existed as a single lot but were separated in the mid-20th century. KTM&HC’s leadership and Construction Oversight Committee researched and planned the project over the course of two years, with the guidance of experienced, trusted, and highly recommended experts: including landscape architect Craig Studer, general contractor Sturges Brothers, Inc., and civil engineers CCA Engineering. Through a collaborative approach that also involved the input of various KTM&HC stakeholders – including neighbors and community members – KTM&HC built a plan that both respects the priceless historic details of the site and the museum’s obligation to preservation, and simultaneously transforms the site to better suit the needs of all who visit.
“KTM&HC is thankful to the Ridgefield Historic District Commission, Inland Wetland Boards, and Ridgefield Planning and Zoning Commission, whose thoughtful consideration and approval helped bring this project to fruition,” said KTM&HC Board President Sara Champion. “We’re also appreciative of the grantors and individual donors who have committed to help fund this project – we couldn’t do it without you!”
“This major capital project will better position KTM&HC as a gateway to the rest of the community,” said KTM&HC Executive Director Hildegard Grob. “The work done to provide a more seamless and accessible visitor experience will help KTM&HC continue to share engaging history and storytelling, as well as enhance the community's ability to visit, engage with, and learn from our site. The project is also a strategic investment for arts and culture tourism in Ridgefield and the state: by enhancing our site and making it more accessible for visitors – whether geographically close or distant – we are providing a significant economic contribution to our community.”
“This project is the logical conclusion of the Capital Campaign launched in 2017 to acquire 152 Main Street and integrate it into the existing campus by providing clear and safe wayfinding across our four-acre site to make it accessible and welcoming for all visitors. Accessibility also drives our reinterpretation effort which aims to tell a more complete version of our site’s history by giving voice to untold stories.”
Over the coming weeks, KTM&HC will be sharing the details of this project – including lots of photos to document the exciting changes! – across all our communications channels, so be sure to subscribe to get our emails and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Plan on visiting KTM&HC soon? Check our website and social media for daily updates about parking availability and potential closures: www.keelertavernmuseum.org.