Plans to turn the historic Townshend Estate in New Haven into an event venue came closer to fruition this week.
On Wednesday, the City Plan Commission approved the site plan for the project, according to Esther Rose-Wilen, Planner II for the city.
Chuck Mascola, a principal with the property owner and applicant, East Shore Partners LLC, said it was among the final approvals needed to start hosting events.
East Shore Partners still needs a certificate of occupancy from the city. According to Mascola, he anticipates everything will be finalized by the end of summer or early fall, making the venue ready for events later this year.
“We’re pleased with the CPC’s decision,” Mascola said. “We think it will be a remarkable place where people will create good memories.”
The mansion is on a 26-acre property on Townsend Avenue in New Haven’s East Shore. The current owners bought it in 2021 for $2.6 million, city records show.
East Shore Partners is converting the mansion and grounds into an event facility, with the goal of hosting meetings and social events such as weddings, banquets, workshops and corporate gatherings.
The facility needed rehabilitation and updates, including upgrades to make it in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and bring it up to code.
“We believe we are creating the most unique venue in the state of Connecticut,” Mascola said. “The building was in one family for about 220 years, and it has been restored and updated.”
The Townshend family mansion was built in 1804, and the property also features other buildings, such as barns and a carriage house.
“We are trying to keep it as it has always been as much as possible – with the historic and country feel,” Mascola said. “We believe people will be drawn to the natural beauty here.”
In addition to the mansion renovation and event venue project, the owners aim to develop a portion of the acreage into about 50 single-family homes.
The application approved on Wednesday was just for the events facility, according to Rose-Wilen. She said any future development would require separate approvals, and she has not received any other applications for the site to date.
The neighborhood development is a second phase of the project, and Mascola said this week he anticipates going to the city for required approvals “over the next few months.”
