First place winner of the Home Beautification Contest. (Submitted photo)

NORWICH — The Evening Sun and the Norwich Building Tomorrow Foundation have announced the winners for the 2025 Home Beautification Contest.

The contest aims to revitalize the City of Norwich by identifying, encouraging, and rewarding property owners for making improvements on their homes. Judges look for exterior improvements to homes, such as siding and painting, windows, doors, landscaping, fencing, shutters, walkways, roofing, and more. They also consider how significant the renovations were, and how much the renovations positively impact the neighborhood.

This year's contest included 10 entries for the single-family, owner-occupied category and two entries for the multi-family category.

Benjamin Williams took first place in the single-family category with beautifully detailed improvements to the exterior of his home located at 108 N. Broad Street. A falling front porch, peeling paint and much needed repairs due to weather and time made these improvements challenging but also rewarding.

“I was incredibly impressed with the construction work on the front porch by CNY Building Group of Norwich, New York. The porch was literally falling off the house. And, the exterior painting by Kolb Family Painting,” said Williams.

Williams purchased the home approximately 5 years ago. And, finally had the opportunity to move here two years ago.

The Home Beautification Contest is modeled after the original contest promoted by Smith Ford Norwich in the 80s and 90s, and began in 2019. The contest has become an annual tradition supported by community sponsors working in partnership with The Norwich Building Tomorrow Foundation and The Evening Sun.
To date, the Home Beautification Contest has awarded cash prizes to 46 homeowners totaling $123,600 .

The Norwich Building Tomorrow Foundation is a local not for profit with a mission to improve the quality of life in the City of Norwich, primarily through seeking opportunities to improve and preserve housing and other property development opportunities.

2025 Home Beautification Contest Winners:

Single-Family

First place: Benjamin Williams at 108 N. Broad Street.

Second place: Cheryl Kennedy at 16 Park Street.

Third place: Calvin Conifer at 9 King Street.

Fourth place: Jeremy McKenna at 31 Prospect Street.

Honorable mentions: Tara Wheeler at 7 Barnes Street, and William Scranton at 124 N. Broad Street.

Multi-Family

First Place: Mary Canaclosi / KC Dwellings LLC at 91 N. Broad Street.

Second place: Don Kelly / DGK Management LLC at 34/36 Park Street.