Downtown Hays Renovations Recognized by National Trust for Historic Preservation

The downtown renovations of Hays and Plainville, gain national attention for the efforts of Plainville native, Chuck Comeau, in the Winter 2013 issue of “Preservation”, the official publication of The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded, nonprofit organization located in Washington D.C.

Preservation writer, Gwendolyn Purdom, visited the towns in August. Eight pages are dedicated to the story entitled “There’s No Place Like Home”. It relays entrepreneur, Chuck Comeau’s personal ties and passion for both Hays and Plainville. According to Purdom, historic renovation wasn’t originally part of the plan. Comeau was simply looking for space to relocate the business and customer service side of his Plainville company, Dessin Fournir.

As Dessin Fournir’s success grew to eventually include seven lines and five more buildings, Comeau began thinking this same approach might help downtown Hays. Since opening C.S. Post & Co., a retail gift shop in downtown Hays in 1997 with his wife Shirley, Comeau and his development firm, Liberty Group, have completed 13 renovations in downtown Hays.

Comeau’s revivalist spirit can be found not only through architectural design but also within his home furnishing manufacturing processes, producing furniture, lighting and textiles using centuries-old techniques. Upon acquiring the venerable New York textile firm, Rose Cumming, in 2005, he discovered boxes and boxes of forgotten archives from one of the interior design industry’s founding grand dames, Rose Cumming. Comeau decided to record Miss Cumming’s story and led the publication of “Rose Cumming Design Inspiration” published in September by Rizzoli International and named one of the Best Books for 2012 by New York Times Magazine.

Looking forward, the article details Comeau’s plans for boutique hotels in both towns connected to the community through landscaped pedestrian-friendly walkways and commons areas.To read Purdom’s article, visit www.preservationnation.org/magazine/2013/winter/theres-no-place-like-home.html.