An artist rendering of proposed renovations to the Richter House in Danbury will be on display this weekend.  The 1920 Richter House  is listed on the Connecticut Register of Historic Places.  A $1 million state grant was awarded for the work in 2016, which will be combined with $500,000 in city funds to renovate the first floor.  The public is invited on Sunday to see the house as it stands now. 

The open house is from 2 to 5pm.  State Representative David Arconti and former Representative Jan Geigler will be in attendance.  Musicals at Richter will be performing throughout the afternoon.

A three phase plan for renovations and remodeling will make improvements to the heat, the plumbing and handicap accessibility.  The phases have been broken up in a way that they are self-contained, and they won't have to worry about having unfinished areas of the building.  The second floor will be turned into a meeting room, but a lot of utility work is needed there.  Plans also called for a ticket kiosk for people that are attending the outdoor musicals during the summer.

Betty Bontempi of the Richter Association for the Arts told the City Council when the grant was awarded last year that between the time they put up the thermostat and the first puff of heat is felt, it's two hours.  Bontempi also noted that they can't plug in two coffee urns in the same room, let alone the same outlet.

For most of one season, they didn't have any hot water because something was wrong with the pipes. They had to heat water on the stove in order to wash hands and dishes.

The front path has uneven stones, which makes it difficult for handicap people to get to the door.  There is also no railing for people to hold when trying to negotiate the two steps into the house.