The Townsend

The Townsend, named after a local and prominent English family, is a four-story mixed-use building in the heart of downtown New Haven. Since its construction in 1804, the bottom floor has been a commercial space for everything from New Haven's visitor center to Claire's Corner Copia, the popular vegetarian/vegan bakery which operates there today. The top three floors have been either hotels or apartment across this 200+ year period.

1804-early 1900s---The Townsend Family (used for their tailors, assistants, etc.)

1857-unknown---The New Haven House (the Taft today) used the top three floors as overflow space

early 1900s-1975---Miscellaneous commercial establishments on the first floor

1923-1945---Greenview Apartments (top three floors)

1945-2004---Lincoln Hotel (top three floors)

1975-present---Claire’s Corner Copia

2004-present---Yale University for the Townsend Apartments, exclusively available for rent to Yale faculty, staff, and students

1794---Townsend family operated a merchant tailor business at this site

1804---Townsend family builds the four-story complex which stands today

Beginning in the late 1700s, the Townsends of England became an influential presence in New Haven and the surrounding areas. They were a family of merchants and tailors who contributed to the establishment of a commercial district along Chapel Street early in New Haven’s history. Prior to building the structure that still stands on the corner of Chapel and College streets, the Townsend family operated a merchant tailor business at this site in 1794. Throughout the 1800s, the building housed the Townsend tailors and their various business partners. Around 1857, New Haven House (the Taft Hotel’s precursor) used the top three floors of the building as an annex to their main facilities across the street. After the turn of the century, the building was no longer owned by the Townsend family. The first floor remained commercial – gift shops, candy shops, and a Fenmore Hat Store occupied the street level. The top floors alternated between residences (the Greenview Apartments in 1923) and hotel use (the Lincoln Hotel in 1945). In September of 1975, Claire and Frank Criscuolo took over the first floor of the building and opened Claire’s Corner Copia, a vegetarian/vegan restaurant that continues to be extremely successful. In 2004, Yale University purchased the building from the Chapel Company (who had purchased the building from Bertrand Weisbart, the previous owner). The top three floors then became known as The Townsend Apartments, exclusively available for rent to faculty, staff, and students of Yale University.

Sitting on the corner of Chapel and College Streets, The Townsend Building is located in the heart of commercial and downtown New Haven. It is adjacent to the New Haven Green, Yale's Old Campus, and the political and economic heart of the city. With Claire's today and a number of businesses over the years, The Townsend has long been a crucial part of Chapel Street's commercial existence and charm.

The Townsends built the structure in Greek Revival style, with a wood frame and a brick exterior. Cut stone and wood detailing adorn the hip roof and bay windows on the top 3 floors. The street level facade has been modified several times but the rest of the building has remained essentially structurally the same as it was in the early 1800s.