Built from 1882 to 1883 by prominent architect Warren Briggs as the State Normal School, it was the sixth school in the nation specializing in teacher training.
In 1924, the State Normal School moved across town and eventually became Central Connecticut State University. From 1925 to 1984, the building housed the New Britain Board of Education and School Administration.
In 1988, the building was sold to a private developer for conversion into condominiums. In 1991, the 30 unit Hillside Place at New Britain Condominium Association, Inc. opened, with units differing in design and size, from a one bedroom with 755 square feet to a 3-story unit with three bedrooms and 2,061 square feet.