Connecticut town buys historic home for $455,000 to build library parking, faces opposition

The property, located at 29-31 Eldridge Street, stands next to Manchester's new Main Street library. A plan to demolish a historic house in Manchester, Connecticut, to make space for additional library parking has faced opposition from the state's Historic Preservation Council. The town purchased the two-family property for $455,000 in June 2026, intending to replace it with around 20 parking spaces. However, preservation officials have now voted to seek intervention from the state's attorney general to prevent the demolition, according to CT Insider.The property, located at 29-31 Eldridge Street, stands next to Manchester's new Main Street library. It is part of the Cheney Brothers Historic District, an area recognised as a National Historic Landmark in 1978. The house was originally built to accommodate workers employed at the Cheney Brothers silk mills.The town's decision to demolish the building drew objections from some residents and members of the local historical society. Their concerns ultimately led to a review by Connecticut's Historic Preservation Office.On Wednesday, the Historic Preservation Council unanimously voted to ask the attorney general to intervene under the C...