Restoration of Greenwich Audubon Center’s Historic “Mead House” Is a Milestone Towards Audubon Campus Restoration in Greenwich and Across Audubon

GREENWICH, CT—The Greenwich Audubon Middle’s historic Mead Home has been restored, a milestone achievement in a better effort to revive the total campus. Supporters celebrated in August with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour.

The historic construction, regarded as constructed  in 1746 by Zebediah Mead, served as a house for the Mead household—a “founding household” of Greenwich—for a few years earlier than being gifted to the Nationwide Audubon Society in 1942 as half of a bigger parcel of land. In 1943, the Nationwide Audubon Society opened the Greenwich Audubon Middle as its first Audubon heart within the nation, making this land and the properties on it important to fulfilling the group’s mission of defending birds and the locations they want. 

Till 2016, the Mead Home was used as housing for the middle’s employees. Now, due to this milestone restoration venture, it is able to serve that goal as soon as extra.

“What first introduced me to the Greenwich Audubon Middle was the land, however assembly and talking with individuals within the Greenwich group made it clear that the Middle’s buildings additionally maintain particular which means,” mentioned Rochelle Thomas, director of the Greenwich Audubon Middle.

The buildings additionally appeared to carry the important thing to important employees wants. “We knew we wanted a spot to deal with employees,” Thomas continued. “The restored Mead Home permits us to proceed to recruit and retain individuals who will look after these particular lands and the buildings, whereas deepening their connection to the Middle and Audubon’s mission.”

“Audubon did a unbelievable job bringing collectively a bunch of individuals with all types of expertise to guide the restoration. […] Whereas historic properties are certainly irreplaceable treasures, preservation is really profitable solely when these exceptional buildings stay purposeful and might proceed for use as dwelling areas,” mentioned Anne H Younger, Govt Director of Historic Properties of Greenwich.

Members of Historic Properties of Greenwich volunteered their time to wash the constructing, an early step in the direction of the total restoration. In 2024, a beneficiant bequest from Reinhold Vogel made it doable to start work on the home.

As a part of the restoration, the inside of the home was gutted and renovated. Its historic exterior, clearly seen from the adjoining John Avenue, was maintained in keeping with its historic look. 

“The Zebediah Mead Home, similar to different properties from Greenwich’s eighteenth century, is certainly one of a handful we have now left from the colonial days. There aren’t many of those historic homes left on the town, so it’s as much as these of us who can, to staff up and ensure they’re sorted,” continued Younger. “By doing so, we assist preserve Greenwich’s historical past alive for everybody who comes after us.”

Upon coming into the home, many attendees expressed how impressed they have been by the transformation—and the scent of contemporary wooden flooring.

“In Greenwich, we take pleasure in conservation and preservation, and on this restoration venture, Audubon managed to mix each,” mentioned Fred Camillo, First Selectman of the City of Greenwich. “Due to Murphy Builders, preservation volunteers, and monetary contributors who made this lovely restoration of the 1746 Mead Home a actuality and a spot that future generations will get pleasure from.”

“The Mead home is a crucial a part of Greenwich and Audubon’s historical past and its preservation is a victory for our group,” mentioned Eunice Burnett, very long time Greenwich resident and advisory board member of Audubon Connecticut and New York. “I’ve been a part of this group as a trustee for over sixteen years and I’ve seen Audubon in its many various iterations. I’ve by no means felt extra optimistic concerning the group than I do now.”

“We’re thrilled that we might accomplice with Audubon on this crucial venture—a noteworthy milestone in Audubon’s Greenwich and Nationwide historical past, in addition to a step alongside the way in which to defending one other crucial landmark in our personal native Greenwich historical past!” mentioned Elise Inexperienced, President of Historic Properties of Greenwich.

This unbelievable restoration is an early milestone in a long-term venture to additional restore the Greenwich Audubon Middle campus and the numerous historic buildings it accommodates.
“The Greenwich Middle is necessary to Audubon’s historical past, and the Mead home is necessary to Greenwich’s historical past,” mentioned Mike Burger, Audubon’s Vice President for the Connecticut and New York area.  “Restoring the Mead home was an apparent win-win for conservation: conservation of historical past for the group in a means that helps conservation of birds and the locations they want—Audubon’s mission. We’re grateful for the help from the group to make this occur.”

“Our facilities and sanctuaries are many individuals’s first introduction to Audubon’s conservation work—and their first alternative to get entangled in it,” mentioned Samantha Putt Del Pino, Audubon’s Vice President of Conservation Motion for the Jap Flyways. “Guaranteeing these campuses are well-resourced and in a position to help guests, group members, and employees is important. The restoration of the Mead Home is a significant step in the direction of this goal. We stay up for persevering with this work on the Greenwich Audubon Middle and throughout the group.”

Shifting ahead, the Mead Home will change into a lot wanted employees housing, permitting the Greenwich Audubon Middle to proceed its important mission of defending birds and the locations they want in Greenwich and throughout the hemisphere.

“The restoration of the Mead Home isn’t the end line—it’s a starting,” mentioned Rochelle Thomas. “This is step one in a bigger imaginative and prescient for the restoration of your entire Greenwich Audubon Middle campus. We stay up for persevering with this journey and for what the long run holds for our heart and group.”