Committee backs $478,000 interior restoration for Smith Street Jail to create exhibits and collections space

The Land Use and Building Management Committee voted unanimously June 3 to forward a recommendation to the full council to authorize Mayor Barbara C. Smith to execute a contract with Titan Enterprises for interior restoration work at the Smith Street Jail, not to exceed $478,000 with $47,800 in change‑order authorization noted in the agenda materials.

David West Morland, a member of the Norwalk City Historical Commission, outlined the building’s history, including a 2010 fire that heavily damaged upper floors; the city used about $350,000 in insurance proceeds for exterior repairs and later secured a $725,000 state grant in 2016 to add ADA access. Morland said the planned interior work will restore the first floor for exhibits about the jail’s history, provide storage for the city and historical society’s Norwalk pottery collections on the second floor, and install high‑efficiency heat‑pump HVAC and necessary electrical, plumbing and accessibility features.

Committee members asked about past heating arrangements after the fire and whether the new project would include modern, efficient systems. Morland said the building is currently a gutted shell with limited electrical service; the recommended contract includes installation of high‑efficiency heat pumps and additional insulation, and the historical commission unanimously recommended awarding the contract to Titan as the lowest qualified bidder after an apparently disqualified low bid.

The committee voted unanimously to approve the recommendation and send the item to full council. Staff noted the building will be incorporated into existing historic programming at the nearby Mill Hill site and used for exhibits and collection storage once restored.