Historic renovations going smoothly in Vernon

  • 2019-10-24
The plan to remodel one of Connecticut's historic schools in Vernon is on schedule.

TicketNetwork bought the Talcott Brothers School early this year for $200,000. Don Vaccaro, the CEO of the company, expected the Victorian era building to be a $1m investment.

The company will use it as an information technology training center. It should be finished by September 2020, which the Director of Facilities William Downs has marked on his calendar.

The Talcott Brothers School has an address on Main Street close to the old mill, which is now an apartment complex. The removal process is moving quickly and the basement is cleared. Abatement of the rest of the building is phase two. Contractors have accepted replacing the roof and renovating the windows, chimney, and utility systems.

Local businesses will do most of the work but finding someone to replicate the antique windows took longer. Eventually, TicketNetwork hired a company in Vermont.

Constructed in 1880, it was a schoolhouse for employees of the Talcott Brothers mill. Girls and boys entered from different doors. A gym and the right wing were built later.

Traffic, municipal, and historic town officials approve of the remodel. The school is in a residential zone, but the town has allowed it to be reused for commercial purposes. The company will also receive a tax break for three years for investing in a property of historic value.

Poster printing explains to residents what is happening to the historic building. It also reassures them that it is not being torn down, but restored for reuse.