Lewis F. Zurlo

1935 - 2022

Lewis F. Zurlo
Lewis F. Zurlo was born in Waterbury, CT on June 3, 1935, the son of Vera and Frank Zurlo. Frank Zurlo was transferred to New Milford, CT when Lewis was 7 years old and subsequently, he went to grammar and high school in New Milford. Upon graduation from New Milford High School in 1953, Lewis received three scholarships to attend Pratt Institute School of Architecture in Brooklyn, NY. At Pratt Institute he won Second Prize in a Low-cost housing competition; the first prize was for a team Thesis to Design a City for the Jersey Meadows. This project appeared on the TV show "Eye on New York" and even went to the United States Congress for consideration.
After receiving a degree in Architecture from Pratt in 1958 he was fortunate to be able to travel through Europe for three months viewing the architecture he had studied and tasting the fruits of European culture which was so new to him. He had to cut his trip short to return to the US Army Reserve to serve in Fort Dix, NJ. Soon after his return from the service in 1959 he was invited to work for the world-renowned Architect Eero Saarinen as a junior designer. The invitation was a result of being recommended at Pratt by the dean of the Architectural School. During his first year outside the Saarinen office, he was part of a three-man team that won the Third Prize in an International Competition to Design a Library Addition for Dublin, Ireland University. Also, while at the Saarinen office he was credited with inventing a system using an elevator and a turntable to change the stage for The Vivian Beaumont Theater's new design in Lincoln Center NY, from a proscenium stage to a stage in the round and back again quickly.
Soon after Saarinen's death in 1963, Mr. Zurlo returned to CT with the Saarinen Office moved to Hamden, CT. Subsequently, after working in NY as the Assistant Chief Designer for John Graham Associates, he met his first wife Rosalie Morrone, and obtained an architectural license to practice architecture in CT. The family moved to Danbury, CT. While living in Danbury Mr. Zurlo became an Associate of Eliot Noyes Associates, New Canaan, CT, and was project manager of most of the outstanding houses that Eliot Noyes was famous for. Two of those houses received were cited as "Record Houses of the Year" in 1971 and 1974. Also "The Meadow Street Fire House" received the Best Building of the Year, 1971 in Norwalk, CT with Mr. Zurlo as the Project Architect. While in the Noyes office, Mr. Zurlo built his own noted house/office on a cliff of Lake Candlewood in 1969.
Mr. Zurlo opened his own office in 1973 and in 1980 had partnered with Dan Kistler and the office became ZURLO+KISTLER, Architects. Mr. Kistler had had ongoing work for IBM and soon the office was an on-call for IBM interiors projects around the greater Metropolitan area. At that time Mr. Zurlo became registered in Massachusetts and New York to help with the IBM projects. Primarily, however, he was involved with the local work in Danbury, CT, especially on Main Street. So much so that upon his retirement in 2003 the Western Connecticut University requested all his work be archived in the University Library as a historical record of Main Street for the previous 30 years.
While in Danbury Mr. Zurlo received several awards including the 1990 Sunderland Award for distinguished service to Historic Preservation. The State of CT also awarded Mr. Zurlo for outstanding work in the area of Historic Preservation that same year. In 1994 Mr. Zurlo was given three awards by the City of Danbury including for The Union Savings Bank Galleria which has subsequently become a landmark building in Danbury; also, that year he received an award for the Liberty Terrace Project and 258-268 Main Street Renovations. Mr. Zurlo served on the Danbury Zoning Board Alternate from 1991-to 1993.
For twenty years until the year 2000, Mr. Zurlo was an influencing member of the Danbury Preservation Trust. Dan Kistler retired, and the office became Lewis Zurlo Associates in 1990. In that same year, Mr. Zurlo married Heather Lynn Fortbrook. Ms. Fortbrook had extensive art and architecture training and for a few years worked in the office primarily doing and coordinating the interior work of the office as well as running her own Exhibit Design business for museums and corporate trade shows.
While married to Heather they traveled extensively including Brazil, France, England, and Italy where he was able to visit family relatives. Previously he had traveled to North Africa, Canada, and Mexico. His wife, Heather, and daughters Elise and Laura survive him.
After retiring in 2005 the family spent winters in Naples, FL, and summers in Heritage Village, Southbury, CT. where Mr. Zurlo was able to enjoy his hobbies of golf and tennis. He also took up the piano again and took lessons in the Italian language. Mrs. Zurlo became a Top Producing Real Estate Professional in Naples with John R. Wood Properties and remained with them for over 17 years. Mr. Zurlo subsequently did most of the cooking and grocery shipping which he also enjoyed. He then retired full-time to Naples.
Memberships included: The American Institute of Architects, The National Council of Architects, Connecticut Society of Architects, The National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, The Danbury Preservation Association, American Arbitration Association, The Danbury Downtown Council Board, The Danbury Chamber of Commerce, Richter Association for the Arts, Danbury Music Association, Kiwanis Club of Danbury, Who's Who in the East 1981-82, Directory of Distinguished Americans, 1983.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, April 23, 2022, at 11:30 a.m. in St. Peter Church, 121 Main St., Danbury.
A reception will follow at the Scott Fanton Museum and Historical Society, 43 Main St., Danbury.
Burial will follow in Wooster Cemetery, Danbury at 3:30 p.m.