Preserving History, Building Hospitality
“We all look at ourselves as caretakers,” says David Bowd, Founder & CEO of Salt Hotels. “We wanted to keep the integrity of the original building, but we also had to make it function as a modern hotel. It was a constant balance between preservation and practicality, and Innoconn never lost sight of either.”
Date: 2024
Client: Salt Hotels
Preserving History, Building Hospitality
For generations, the historic Litchfield County Courthouse occupied one of the most prominent locations in town. When the courthouse closed, residents were left wondering what would become of a building that had long served as a civic centerpiece and community landmark.
Working alongside Innoconn, architects, designers, and preservation stakeholders, Innoconn helped transform the former courthouse into The Abner, a boutique hotel that preserves the building’s historic character while creating a new destination in the heart of Litchfield.
“The vision was really to create the first boutique hotel in Litchfield proper,” says David Bowd, Founder & CEO of Salt Hotels. “There was a gap that existed. We wanted to create a hotel in the center of town that would attract tourism, but also create a place that locals would use and enjoy.”
Balancing Preservation with Possibility
Transforming a historic courthouse into a modern hotel required balancing preservation requirements with the realities of hospitality operations.
The building lacked many of the elements a hotel requires, including accessibility accommodations, elevators, and updated infrastructure. At the same time, the community and preservation boards expected the building’s character to remain intact.
“Every eye in the community was on this building,” Bowd recalls. “It’s a loved and cherished building. Everybody wanted to make sure it wasn’t going to be destroyed and that it was going to be maintained.”
Adding to the challenge was the unpredictable nature of adaptive reuse construction.
“Every single day there was something that made us change direction,” says Bowd. “Every day there was a new issue that had to be solved.”
Collaborative, Creative Solutions
According to Bowd, Innoconn’s greatest strength was its collaborative approach.
“Their approach is all about collaboration and communication,” he says. “They’re real collaborators. They’re real team players.”
One of the project’s most complex challenges involved preserving the scale and feel of the courthouse’s historic courtroom while converting portions of the space into guest rooms and restaurant areas. Working with architects and designers, Innoconn developed a glass partition system that allowed guests to appreciate the room’s original volume while creating functional hospitality space.
The same problem-solving mindset carried throughout the project. Historic windows were restored, original architectural details were preserved, and even massive courthouse safes were incorporated into guest suites rather than removed.
“It was the hardest route that we all took,” says Bowd. “But every part of this old building that we could reuse, we reused.”
A Partnership Built on Trust and Results
For Bowd, Innoconn’s impact extended beyond construction.
“I’ve built or renovated more than 30 hotels,” he says. “This was the most pleasurable experience I’ve ever had putting a hotel together.”
He credits the team’s collaborative mindset and solution-oriented approach for making that possible.
“They are true partners who come with solutions to every problem rather than just the problem,” Bowd says. “With Innoconn, it was always, ‘This won’t work, but what about this?'”
What Our Clients Say
Innoconn understood what we were trying to create from day one. They recognized that this wasn’t simply a construction project—it was about preserving an important piece of Litchfield’s history while creating a hospitality experience unlike anything else in the area. Their ability to solve problems, collaborate with every stakeholder, and maintain an unwavering commitment to quality made them an invaluable partner throughout the project.
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