2025 Preservation Award for Courthouse/Abner Hotel

The Abner Hotel/Litchfield County Courthouse recently received an Award of Merit from Preservation Connecticut. Awards of Merit, nominated by members of Preservation Connecticut, recognize outstanding efforts in the preservation and enhancement of historic places throughout Connecticut, with the goal of inspiring others to take similar action. The following is the award listing from Preservation Connecticut:

In 2017, after 250 years of legal tradition, the State of Connecticut vacated the Litchfield Courthouse. The Greater Litchfield Preservation Trust purchased the property to preserve the historic structure that is key to Litchfield's identity. Determined to find a new use for the building, GLPT commissioned a feasibility study and then contracted with experienced developers, Lexington Parters of Hartford, to adapt the courthouse as a boutique hotel and restaurant. The project faced many challenges: providing parking on a limited site - which included negotiations with the U.S. Postal Service; amending town zoning to allow hotels; and obtaining design approvals from the local historic district commission and the National Park Service (even a redesign after the NPS changed its mind about the first version). Protected by an exterior preservation easement and opened in September 2024, the renovated courthouse now welcomes guests and diners to the heart of historic Litchfield.

Project Team: Lexington Partners; Tecton Architects; Innoconn Construction Management; Bohler Engineering; Consoli Bortolan Law Group; Alter, Pearson & Hope; Greater Litchfield Preservation Trust, Inc.; Gregory Farmer; United States Postal Service; Borough of Litchfield Historic District Commission; Town of Litchfield; Attorneys Cramer & Anderson, LLP.