Preservation Award Winner: 79 Newtown Turnpike

The structure at 79 Newtown Turnpike is among seven recipients of the Westport Historic District Commission (HDC) 2018 Preservation Awards to be presented in a Town Hall ceremony on Oct. 15 at 7 p.m.  The Westport Historic District Commission (HDC) applauded the “sensitive rehabilitation and creative use” of this historic building, known as the Lewis Burr Fillow House, c. 1800/1925, formerly the Three Bears Restaurant.  In the spring this year, Chabad Lubavitch of Westport celebrated the grand opening. Both exterior and interior architectural elements have been preserved and restored. The renovation was designed by Robert Storm and carried out by Able Construction encompassing over 9,000 square feet of the original property and an additional 10,000 square feet of complimentary new construction. The project blends New England vernacular-fieldstone and shingle features with the historic core structure. The site has served as a stagecoach stop, an inn, a restaurant, and now a new Jewish center for prayer services, educational programs and meetings. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com