South Norwalk, Connecticut

On Saturday, May 4, Norwalk Preservation Trust got together with Preservation Connecticut to host a local Jane’s Walk. The idea behind the movement is that everyone is an expert on the places where they live, work, and play. These friendly, free events encourage people to explore, to tell stories about their communities and connect with their neighbors. Who was Jane Jacobs?

The SoNo Stroll featured the recent changes in South Norwalk, including the ongoing replacement of the Walk Bridge, presently threatened historic buildings, and chats with long-time and new business owners and residents. We began at the T intersection of Haviland and South Main streets. The Udelman Building (which originally housed a United States Post Office), approved for demolition last year but not yet demolished due to a change in plans, sits at the top of the hill up Haviland Street, seen to the right in the first gallery photo of our stop at number 22, where we talked about the neighborhood with the owner of the 1876 Francis Finnigan House. Do those neighbors want an eight-story hotel looming at the end of their street? You’ll have to ask them! That’s the point of a Jane’s Walk.

Afterwards, we moved over to Washington Street, beginning at number 85, where we had a fun conversation with Larry Pellegrini, one of the proprietors of Pellegrini Jewelers, in business in that location since 1951. Down the street, two brothers leasing space at 123 Washington Street spoke about their choice of South Norwalk for opening a new showroom, expanding their Long Island business (Sundown Ski & Patio) across the Sound into Connecticut. Brian Sells, the artist at SoNo Tattoo at 127 Washington Street, provided us with insight into his experience opening the parlor in 2021. Finally, we met Jean Smith, owner of Jean’s Closet, the crochet shop that is moving into the storefront at 139 Washington Street, formerly occupied by Beadworks.