Historic Mills of Connecticut

Companies Associated w/Complex

• Empire Furniture Co. c.1951
• Sargent and Co. 1949-1967
• William Schollhorn Co. 1887-1949

Use (Historic)

• Fabricated Metal Products

Largest Documented Workforce

n/a

Historic Narrative

Sanborn Insurance Atlases identify Schollhorn cutlery and hardware production in 1901, hardware in 1923, and hardware specialties in 1951, by which time Empire Furniture Mfg. Co. fully occupied the 1886-7 block. Excerpt from Carriages & Clocks, Corsets & Locks (New Haven Preservation Trust, 2004): 'Established in 1863, Schollhorn manufactured a fine grade of Star brand scissors and shears, the Bernhard pliers, and other hardware specialties. In 1887, it moved from its original factory on State Street to a newly built five story brick factory on the corner of Wooster and Wallace Streets. The building had elevators and 'all the most improved machinery and tools.' In 1889 some one hundred men operated the factory. [The company and factory were bought in 1949 by hardware and lock manufacturer Sargent & Co.] The building still stands and has been converted to offices.' In 1967, Sargent & Co. moved all its production, including at the former Schollhorn factory to a modern facility at 100 Sargent Drive. Most of the sprawling complex was demolished to make way for I91. See SR nomination approved 3/2022.

Number of Existing Buildings

n/a

Dates of Construction

1887, 1906, 1916

Architect

Leoni W. Robinson (1887 and 1906); R.W. Foote, 1916

Builder

n/a

Building Type

n/a

Architectural Description

The main block of the factory was built in 1886-7 along the northern side of Wooster Street at the corner of South Wallace Street; it is a five story brick building approx. 160 ft x 40 ft. and five bays wide on South Wallace Street. The office originally occupied the first several bays of the first floor fronting South Wallace Street. The two brick blocks running north along South Wallace Street were built between 1901 and 1923. The earlier block adjacent to the 1887 construction has similar architectural elements, including segmental arch window openings, stone window sills; a dentillated cornice runs along the roofline. The later block has brick pilasters and rectangular window openings, but continues the dentillated cornice. It terminates in a three-bay deep office bllock with stone clad foundation, entry surround, articulated second floor beltcourse, cornice and pediment.

Exterior Material(s)

• Brick

Structural System(s)

n/a

Roof Form

• Flat
• Gable

Roof Material

n/a

Power Source

n/a

Condition

n/a

Condition Notes

n/a

Specific Location

Corner of Chapel and S Wallace St. East of 91

Adjacent To

n/a

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Parcel ID / Assessor Record Link

• 203/546/100 / Link →

Acreage

1.18

Use (Present)

• Commercial
• Other: Bought 2019 for potential future residential rehab into 87 market rate apartments by builder Mendy Paris and Sim Levenhartz, 414 Chapel LLC; project stalled. 2025: Jonathon Perlich to lead redev of 2019 plan under 414 Chapel LLC with Rise Architects; $20 million project to be called Harbor Mills with affordable housing componant; no mention of historic tax credits.
• Vacant

Form Completed By

n/a

Date

n/a

Bibliography

1. Carriages & Clocks, Corsets & Locks (New Haven Preservation Trust, 2004)