Post by Logan on Jun 26, 2016 4:54:07 GMT -6
HARTFORD — The Old State House has been up against it many times in its 220 years: The downtown historical gem was abandoned in the early 1900s, nearly demolished in the 1970s for a parking lot and came close to shutting down in 2007.
Now, after eight years of expanding its programs, the Old State House again faces an uncertain future with state cuts slicing deeply into its budget. And those reductions — on top of a shift of responsibility for the landmark between two state agencies that have yet to agree on a transition plan — may force the temporary closing of landmark, possibly as soon as Wednesday.
"It may have to close," Sally Whipple, the landmark's executive director, said. "But no one is saying that it will close forever."
The state took control of the Old State House in 2008, after the Connecticut Historical Society said it could no longer afford to run the historic landmark. The 1796 brownstone-and-brick structure became the responsibility of the Office of Legislative Management, which maintains the state Capitol and the Legislative Office Building.
Read more: www.courant.com/real-estate/property-line/hc-old-state-house-20160626-story.html
Now, after eight years of expanding its programs, the Old State House again faces an uncertain future with state cuts slicing deeply into its budget. And those reductions — on top of a shift of responsibility for the landmark between two state agencies that have yet to agree on a transition plan — may force the temporary closing of landmark, possibly as soon as Wednesday.
"It may have to close," Sally Whipple, the landmark's executive director, said. "But no one is saying that it will close forever."
The state took control of the Old State House in 2008, after the Connecticut Historical Society said it could no longer afford to run the historic landmark. The 1796 brownstone-and-brick structure became the responsibility of the Office of Legislative Management, which maintains the state Capitol and the Legislative Office Building.
Read more: www.courant.com/real-estate/property-line/hc-old-state-house-20160626-story.html