Buyer Interest Grows

In Town-Owned Queen St Houses

By Steve Bigham

The phones in the first selectman’s office have been ringing off the hook this week with people interested in purchasing the town-owned homes along Queen Street. Recent media attention has created intense interest in people hoping to own property in the center of town. However, the houses are not currently for sale.

“People think we’re advertising. They’re interested in buying them,” noted Mary Kelly, a secretary in the first selectman’s office.

The calls began streaming in Tuesday morning, exactly one year after the town voted in favor of the $1.25 million purchase from the state. The cost included six houses and eight vacant lots that were once part of the Fairfield Hills Hospital campus. The Board of Selectmen recently recommended that the homes be sold “as is,” but no sale will be made until approvals are made by Legislative Council and at a town meeting.

The selectmen have recommended that four of the homes be sold, but First Selectman Herb Rosenthal says they won’t go on the market for at least a couple of months.

“Nothing is for sale until the Legislative Council decides to go forward and sell the houses. The sale of the properties is completely within the authority of the Legislative Council and a town meeting,” Mr Rosenthal said. “The Board of Selectmen made a recommendation that the council consider selling the houses, but that’s as far as it has gone.”

The homes would be sold by auction or sealed bid per the Town Charter, Mr Rosenthal said. Four of the houses are eligible for sale, one is scheduled to be torn down and another will likely go to Habitat for Humanity.

Newtown paid the state between $76,500 and $140,000 for the dilapidated homes, but don’t expect them to be sold for that kind of money.

“My assumption, based on the number of phone calls we’ve been getting, is that the houses will be for sale for much more than what we paid for them. They’ll be sold at market value,” Mr Rosenthal said.

The town originally purchased the homes and property in an effort to control future development in that area of town. As required under state law, Newtown was given right-of-first-refusal when the state decided to sell the properties. The parcels cover about 15 acres along the east side of Queen Street and include empty houses once used for staff at Fairfield Hills. There is also a barn and stone outbuilding. All of the homes are hooked up to public water and sewer lines.

Each home would be sold with deed restrictions.