This Building, located at 26 School Street in Branford, consists of three sections: a former schoolhouse built in 1865, a former firehouse built in 1900 and a garage built later. In 1986 the second floor of the firehouse was converted to an apartment while the rest of the building is used for meetings and storage. The Branford Land Trust seeks to undertake needed structural and safety measures and to make significant energy efficiency improvements while maintaining the historic character of the building. Specific projects are listed below:
SAFETY AND STRUCTURAL Integrity
– deaden knob and tube wiring; schoolhouse and apt.
– update all electrical wiring; schoolhouse, firehouse and apt.
– reroute exterior wiring between the schoolhouse and firehouse
– repair structural damage in the firehouse walls including sills and studs as needed
– replace or repair siding of the firehouse and apt as needed.
– new roofing for the flat roofs over the garage, and connector building (between firehouse and schoolhouse)
– build a new fire escape from the apartment
– create better drainage away from all buildings
– interior and exterior painting as needed
-install COVID preventive ventilation
– remediate mold, and repair insulation, drywall and lighting in garage
– repair /upgrade locks and keys for all doors
ENERGY EFFICIENCY/CONSERVATION MEASURES
– insulate ceiling, crawl space (and walls?) of schoolhouse. Insulate attic (and walls?) in firehouse and apt.
– refurbish existing windows; schoolhouse, firehouse, and apartment
– refurbish existing schoolhouse doors
– refurbish apartment door
– refurbish firehouse doors or consider replacing with replicas of original
– replace existing oil burning heat sources with heat pump technology (air sourced or geothermal). schoolhouse, firehouse and apt.
– consider solar
– consider battery storage
– improve lighting; schoolhouse, firehouse, apt.
– improve ventilation in schoolhouse and apt attics
ADDITIONAL POSSIBLE PROJECTS
– improve acoustics in schoolhouse
– remove existing drop ceiling in firehouse
For questions or submit bids, please contact Lauren Brown (203) 215-0782.