John Canning & Co.'s Project at the New London City Hall Receives Preservation Connecticut 2023 Award of Merit
Cheshire CT, April 2023:
John Canning & Co.’s project at the New London City Hall has received a Preservation Connecticut 2023 Award of Merit. The project, which restored the original color scheme and historic plaster finishes in the Council Chambers and adjacent hallways, returned the historic chamber to its 1914 appearance.
Preservation Connecticut is a nonprofit organization with the mission of preserving, protecting, and promoting the buildings, sites, and landscapes that contribute to the heritage and vitality of Connecticut communities. Every year, Preservation CT awards architectural firms, preservation project teams, property owners, local governments, or individuals for their efforts that have protected and preserved Connecticut's archeological and architectural heritage.
New London City Hall was originally constructed in 1856 and substantially remodeled in 1912 to create a more imposing Municipal building. John Canning & Co. was contracted to perform the restoration of degrading plaster and fine art and decorative art conservation at the City Council Chamber 10 and 3rd FL Hall Way which was completed in 2020. The team’s efforts began with a historic paint investigation to uncover and determine the historical color scheme and palette. The final colors were selected to meet the 1914 palette and were presented to the owners in an on-site mock-up. These historical colors were then reinstated on the freshly repaired plaster walls of the council chambers, resulting in an incredible transformation of the historic space.
New London City Hall Council Chambers
In the Council Chamber, the fabrication and installation of two name panels on canvas were also performed. The existing name panels in the Council Chamber were created in the mid-century. At that time, the room appeared to have been painted differently, which did not match the original color scheme. With the ongoing decorative paint restoration in the Council Chamber, the existing mid-century name plaque colors (backgrounds) were dis-coordinated with the color scheme. For the room to have a unified aesthetic, restored name plaques were executed by Canning in a similar appearance and color to complement the original scheme. Knowing that preserving the building's history as much as possible is essential, the existing name panels were encapsulated behind the new canvas name panels. These panels were installed in a manner that is reversible and will not damage the current mid-century version.
John Canning & Co. is honored to be receiving an award of merit for the project at New London City Hall and would like to thank all their hardworking team members, the City of New London, and Valley Restoration, LLC, for their contributions to the success of this project.
Located in Cheshire, CT., John Canning & Co. is one of the nation’s historic restoration, conservation, and preservation experts. John Canning & Co. offers services in various areas, including conservation, planning, designing, historic paint analysis, plaster condition surveys, restoration, decorative finishes and painting, budgeting, and consulting. With over 45 years of experience, John Canning & Co. has received numerous awards and has been entrusted with restoring state capitols, courthouses, churches, libraries, museums, theatres, educational establishments, and other historic buildings. In addition to this Preservation Connecticut Award, other Canning Projects that have been recognized include the 2022 Preservation Connecticut Award of Merit for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Campus project in Hartford, Connecticut, the 2020 Preservation Connecticut Award of Merit for the work completed at the First Congregational Church of West Haven in Connecticut, the 2020 Preservation Connecticut Award of Merit for the work done at the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford Connecticut, and the 2014 Connecticut Preservation Award of Merit for The Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich Connecticut. Canning also received the 2021 Preservation Connecticut Janet Jainschigg Award for Preservation Professionals.