NORWALK, Conn. Its been months, and progress happens day by day on Norwalks East Avenue.
On Thursday, workers installed copper drip caps along the roof of the Grumman-St. John House, a longstanding eyesore well on its way to becoming the "beautiful new landmark adjacent to the Norwalk Town Green" that owner Peter Handrinos expects it to be.
Outside there is a lot of progress. Inside, I really cant tell you, said George Katsaros, who was overseeing the work on the Norwalk Inn property. He said the men high over his head were installing a new roof, along with the architectural detail of copper along its edges.
Politicians have celebrated the renovation of the house twice. Last September, state Rep. Larry Cafero and state Sen. Bob Duff, both key players in brokering a deal between neighbors and the Handrinos family to break a decade-long standoff, joined other officials for a ribbon cutting. In January, they were back, celebrating the demolition of the notorious porch and its falling down roof.
The Grumman-St. John House has a foundation that dates to the Revolutionary War. Architect Jozsef Solta said in January that he was impossible to say when the renovations would be complete. "There are a lot of things involved that I cannot explain, a lot of moving parts," he said.
We are moving as fast as we can, Katsaros said. We havent stopped one day.
Of course they take Sunday off, he said, as everyone needs a rest. But if it rains the workers go inside. He said, Were so anxious to finish this, more than anybody else.
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