Preservation Award Winner: 61 Jesup Road

Among the nine winners of the Westport Historic District Commission 2012 Preservation Awards to be presented in a Town Hall ceremony at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 29 is the carriage house at 61 Jesup Road. The HDC said the award is being given in recognition of the “excellence in care.” According to the HDC, the Godillot Carriage House was constructed in 1882 by Alexis and Julia Godillot Jr. as a carriage house for their residence across the street at 60 Jesup Road. “It is a beautiful example of the Stick style, designed to complement the stylistic makeover the owners were undertaking to the main house at that time,” the HDC said. The building changed ownership over the years until the Tri-Town Teachers Federal Credit Union purchased it in 1989 for office use. At that time, the structure was badly deteriorated and required extensive renovation, including the complete gutting of the interior. This year the owners undertook another round of renovation work, primarily to the exterior of the building, the HDC said. The entire building was carefully stripped of its old layers of paint with a nondestructive chemical paint removing technique and all deteriorated wood shingles, siding and trim were replaced to match the original. Lacking definitive evidence of the original paint colors, the owners researched and selected appropriate historic paint colors to finish the project and ensure its long term preservation, the HDC said. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com