Betts House

When you arrive at 393 Prospect Street, in the Prospect Hill neighborhood of New Haven, you are only able to catch a glimpse of the Betts House from the street. A long, winding driveway will lead you up a gentle slope to the pale pink facade of the Betts House. Built in the Second Empire style and located on the top of a natural hill, this Victorian mansion certainly has a commanding presence. Originally built in 1868 as the residence of John M. Davies, a prominent New Haven businessman, this structure has since been occupied by the Culinary Institute of America, and now, Yale University (8).

While looking at the house, one struggles to absorb all of the intricate details of the facade and parse out the various design elements, such as the mansard roof and widow’s peak, but it would be difficult to miss the large, modern structure attached to the southern side of the house. Built in 2009 by Robert M. Stern, the Greenberg Conference Center is newly integrated with the Betts House (9). A small parking lot and the Yale Divinity School are located to the north of the house, the Greenberg Center to the south, and a grassy, sloping yard to the west. Amidst all of this, the Betts House still claims the space it occupies with elegance and confidence. As one stands beneath the cover of the porch, looking down the green hill towards Prospect Street, it is easy to forget that you are just a mile from the hustle and bustle of downtown New Haven. The Betts House and the surrounding property serve a sort of urban oasis that gives the visitor a taste of 19th century New Haven.