Residents along Pequot and Montauk Avenues in New London may soon begin to see a buzz around the Monte Cristo Cottage, boyhood summer home of Eugene O’Neill, which is owned and operated by the O’Neill Theater Center. The organization recently received funding from the CT Trust for Historic Preservation to assist the O’Neill in developing a plan for rehabilitation and preservation work at the Cottage. The O’Neill has also announced a new quarterly series, “First Fridays @ the Cottage”, featuring local writers, musicians, and entertainment and open tours of the Cottage.
The O’Neill kicks off the First Fridays series on February 1 from 6-8pm. Free and open to the public, it will feature Ray Pepi, President of Building Conservation Associates, to discuss plans for the programming and revitalization of one of this region’s cultural gems, a National Historic Landmark. Other First Friday events are slated for May 3, September 6, and December 6. All free and open to the public.
Building Conservation Associates, Inc. is a private consulting and research firm practicing preservation design, conditions assessments, materials science, and historic building documentation. BCA was founded in 1985 by to assist architects, building owners, developers, museums, and government with virtually any issue related to the preservation and treatment of historic buildings and works-of-art in buildings or the public domain. Previous projects include Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Wadsworth Antheneum Museum of Art, and Metropolitan Museum of Art, among others.
The Monte Cristo Cottage is located at 325 Pequot Avenue. For more information about “First Fridays @ the Cottage”, visit www.theoneill.org or email theaterlives@theoneill.org.
