New Haven, CT – Nosal Builders won a CT ABC Excellence in Construction award in the Institutional category for The Boathouse at Canal Dock Phase 2 in New Haven.
The Canal Dock Boathouse, Inc. project evolved as a part of the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s I-95 New Haven Harbor Crossing Corridor Improvement Program, a multi-billion-dollar improvement to the I-95/I-91 interchange. This highway project required the demolition of the historic Adee Boathouse, once home to the Yale Crewing Clubs. Funds were established to create a new boathouse at Long Wharf Drive and a new location was selected in an attempt to reconnect New Haven to its waterfront history.
In an attempt to connect this new boathouse to the city’s past, many of the historic elements of the Adee Boathouse were salvaged and reinstalled as decorative elements in the new Canal Dock Boathouse including the original wood trusses, the fireplace mantle, a cartouche, two finials, and two bulldog heads from the exterior facade.
The masonry front entry was recreated with the restoration of the front window, replication of the existing front doors, and restoration of the original grand staircase. This entire assembly is installed inside the new building behind the new storefront entry wall that allows it to be viewed from the street.
Throughout the interior of the buildings, there are interactive timeline signage and artwork that tell the full historic story of the Adee Boathouse. There are also timeline panels incorporated into the exterior platform railings that tell the story of the New Haven Harbor.
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A historic mosaic bronze and terracotta emblem that tells a tale of a “Ghost Ship” is incorporated into the floor system. It is the story of a ship that departed from New Haven to England in a deep fog, with no word of it reaching England. Months later in another deep fog, it was reported to have been sighted in New Haven with its mast battered and its sails torn.
The Canal Dock Boathouse, Inc. is a New Haven non-profit organization that operates a community-oriented, waterfront boating center. The Canal Dock Boathouse was constructed to house three main functions:
- The Boat Bays – Multiple types of recreational boating opportunities are already underway (dragon boating, kayaking & rowing) and new programs (sailing, for example) are planned for the future; all programs for New Haven public school students are free.
- Science Labs and Classrooms – The University of New Haven will be leasing a portion of the building to expand its marine biology labs and classrooms to the water’s edge.
- Weddings and Special Events – The meeting rooms and kitchenette on the second floor offer a spectacular venue for weddings, group meetings, seminars and other special events.
