Eldridge Barn renovation nearly complete

Text By Andra Moss  
Photo By Peter Chaffetz

The Yale Norfolk School of Art is set to receive an impressive present for its 75th birthday in May. When the 26 students and seven faculty arrive in Norfolk on May 20, they will find a completely new residence building on the Ellen Battell Stoeckel Estate. The transformation of the Eldridge Barn into housing is one of three significant construction projects—including the Art Barn renovation and the addition to the Music Shed—undertaken since 2021 by Yale and the trustees of the Ellen Battell Stoeckel Trust to provide state-of-the-art facilities for the renowned summer art and music programs that take place in Norfolk.  

Established in 1948, the Yale Norfolk School of Art is an intensive six-week summer residency program for rising seniors selected from applicants across the country and abroad. All of the art students will now reside on campus, with housing for 17 in the Eldridge Barn augmenting existing cottages on the Stoeckel estate. Work and study take place in the nearby Art Barn, which received an award-winning renovation in 2021/22. These facilities will similarly be utilized by the Fellows and faculty of the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival—Yale Summer School of Music in July and August.

When shovels first hit the ground last September, the Eldridge Barn team knew they had committed to an aggressive seven-month construction schedule. With student arrivals just weeks away, it is now a sprint to the finish, says Jack Beecher, director of operations for the Stoeckel trust. “We still have work to do, but we’re on track for May 9, the date when the Burlington Construction team will turn the building over to the trust.” Then begins the full-press installation of everything from bed frames to window treatments, lamps and towel bars.

The building has been completely reconfigured inside by architect John Martin to contain 11 sleeping rooms, configured as five singles and six doubles (some art students will share; music Fellows will all have private rooms). Eight of the bedrooms are upstairs, and three, including a fully accessible room, are on the ground floor. A common room will open onto a patio that faces the flower bridge.

Beecher is especially pleased with the feel of the space, describing how “the upstairs rooms each have their own personalities; no two are the same.” He also notes that “upstairs, you will be able to see some of the original woodwork and the angles that are in those ceilings. There are dormers, and every room has natural light.” Each room has an en suite bathroom with tiled shower. Throughout, says Beecher, “it is a charming space, not cookie-cutter at all. That’s a testament to John’s eye and John’s ability.”

As in his acclaimed work at the Art Barn, Martin once again took his cues from the original structure, noting that “the building was originally very well built. The trusses that support the first-floor ceiling and roof structure are very similar to those in the Art Barn.” The new windows are all custom-made copies of the original multi-panes. Martin says that it was important “to keep the exposed trusses and maintain somewhat of a barn feeling. It is a very unique space.”

While visitors and residents encounter a charming, shingled building, Martin and Beecher know that underneath lies a remarkable infrastructure. “We needed a lot of upgrades,” says Martin, “and we were able to accomplish a lot of that with this project.” The structurally reinforced building now has an advanced electrical service and water system. Significant insulation allows it to be used year-round. The heating and cooling system is especially sophisticated, involving two boilers and a hydro-air system. Basically, says Martin, “the estate now is equipped for whatever the next generation might wish to do.”

Not everything is changing, though. Brookside studio next door will continue as a rehearsal space for pianists. Two beautiful original windows from the Eldridge Barn will be moved to the Music Shed interior. The estate remains a welcoming and inspirational haven for the creation of art and music, with the Eldridge Barn set for its new role as a home base for that creative spirit. Or almost set, says Beecher. “We’re feeling confident, but I won’t be really happy until they’re in there and sleeping.”