‘So unbelievably satisfying’

Westporter helps restore historic Bridgeport home to former glory with new fund

WESTPORT — The outside of Ed Gerber’s Westport home is white, with teal accents on the shutters.

It was built in 1764 and used to be owned by artist George Wright, who was known for using a similar shade of green in his paintings. When you walk in, memories of Wright’s work flood the historic house’s walls. His art studio, now a cottage, is even part of the property and is up for rental.

Gerber spent a lot of his childhood at the home, which belonged to his godfather, Wright’s nephew. But it wasn’t until Gerber bought it in 2010, after the deaths of his godfather and godfather’s wife, that his passion for historic preservation was really sparked — a passion he’s now sharing with others through the creation of the new Edward F. Gerber Urban Preservation Fund through Historic New England.

“It really is so unbelievably satisfying for me,” he said of the new $10,000 grant.

The property has to be occupied by a resident in a historic district or have local historic designation in an urban area to be eligible, Gerber said.

The first grant was awarded this year to Allison Waggener, of Bridgeport, to restore her Seaside Park home, Graynook, where she lives with her partner, Erik Kuranko, and their newborn. Waggener said the funds will go towards repairing the porch’s cast iron railings and wooden doors.

“To see something get restored and used is something that makes me happy,” Waggener said. “I hope it will make others happy, as well.”

Like Gerber, Waggener has a familial connection of sorts to her historic home.

The Bridgeport house used to be owned by Kuranko’s aunt. One day, Waggener and a friend were walking in a park near the neighborhood, and Waggener took a liking to the houses.

“I just had in my mind it would be fun to own one,” she said.

She complimented the house after visiting Kuranko’s aunt, who coincidentally asked her if she wanted to buy it.

Graynook stayed in her mind as she and Kuranko looked at houses across New England, and they decided to close on it.

Waggener said she learned the house was in Scientific Magazine’s 1895 Building Edition. She bought a digital version of the magazine and discovered what the house historically looked like.

Now, little by little, they’re fixing up the property to its former glory. They already removed the lead paint to prepare for their newborn, and a local craftsman is set to restore the iron railings.

The house hosts six bedrooms, so Waggener said they would like to see it used by others. Already, they’ve used the space for local political campaigning and Bridgeport Mutual Aid, an organization she started.

“Maybe we’ll share the house with other people or just be hosts for things,” Waggener said.

A possible use for the future could even be a performance of the opera “Cendrillon,” which is a French version of Cinderella. Waggener, who is trained in opera, would be the lead role.

Waggener said the European style of the house would be perfect for this kind of opera. She performed a similar one at a house in Madison.

The connection the house itself has to the community was highlighted by Historic New England on its website describing the grant.

“With this work, Greynook [SIC] will remain a vital and visible part of the Marina Park Historic District, where local community groups such as the Mary & Eliza Freeman Center for History and Community are working to illuminate the historic value of Bridgeport’s South End,” the website said.

Gerber, who is a member of Historic New England’s Board of Trustees, said he was inspired to create the grant after he learned through the board that there were similar grants across New England. He decided to create his own, but on a smaller scale, specifically for urban Connecticut.