Cornwall Town Hall

Cornwall, VT | 2017

In 2013, VIA assisted the Town of Cornwall with an evaluation of their historic Town Hall for accessibility, energy efficiency, general maintenance and repairs, and future construction. In 2016, the Town decided to undertake a major renovation to address various issues including functionality, vault capacity, and updates that reflect modern standards and codes. Initially, the plan was to build an addition to accommodate upgrades and expansion of current functions, including the Town’s library. In examining the underutilized spaces in the existing building however, VIA determined that the town could achieve their goals and save money by reorganizing the existing space. Reconfiguration of the main floor, which houses the library, a small meeting room, and the Town Clerk’s office, created space for an elevator and interior fire stair. The elevator provides universal access to the second floor of the building, which features a large meeting room and a stage. Removing the exterior fire escape restored the exterior appearance of the building to its original state. Moisture mitigation and insulation in the basement allowed for fire-proof record storage, creating space in the existing vault. Structural repairs and additional insulation make the whole building more sound, comfortable, and usable for years to come.

Construction by Smith & McClain

Images by Vermont Integrated Architecture, P.C.