Workshop Will Seek Public Comment On Fairfield Hills

By Steve Bigham

 The Fairfield Hills advisory committee will hold a public workshop next Thursday to present development options and gather comments from residents on the future re-uses of Fairfield Hills. The event will take place in the Newtown High School cafeteria and will begin at 7:30 pm.

The town is now poised to purchase the former state mental health hospital. However, before doing so, residents must determine what they wish to do with the land and buildings. To get approved, that plan must be consistent with the needs and wishes of the citizens. Without consensus on a particular plan, the town runs the risk of losing its opportunity to buy the 185-acre campus.

 “We were asked to research various options for re-using the property and make a recommendation to the town,” noted advisory committee chairman Michael Floros. “Our committee has looked at several options for the site and the costs associated with other options. We’re ready to share these options with the community at large.”

 The advisory committee is now trying to fuse two different visions to come up with one single option with variations. One vision is commercially based, featuring a corporate setting that would encompass the five largest buildings – Canaan House, Kent House, Greenwich House, Bridgeport Hall and Shelton House. There is still some discussion as to whether or not the corporate park would include Woodbury and Newtown halls, the two showpiece buildings at the front entrance of the campus. However, the plan does call for the demolition of several buildings, including the recreational facility known as Plymouth Hall, to make space for parking.

The rationale for this particular vision is that Newtown needs to have a revenue-generating source at Fairfield Hills. There is no plan for housing. However buying the land and just letting it sit there does not do the town much good, some members say. Much of this commercial-based vision was borne from a proposal made by the Boston-based firm of Spaulding & Slye, which specializes in developing large parcels for corporate use. The company has expressed interest in working with the town and would be responsible for the restoration and marketing of the buildings. Under the commercial plan, more than 100 acres and several smaller buildings would still be available for town use. The town would stand to make more than a million dollars in rent fees.

Some advisory committee members – representing the municipal-based vision – are now going along with the corporate park idea, although they would rather not see the town give away the entire “front yard.” This group is hoping to hold on to Newtown and Woodbury halls, as well as Plymouth Hall, for municipal use. Ball fields are also a major consideration of this group, which is represented by a handful of youth sports coaches, as well as Parks & Recreation Commission Chairman Larry Haskell.

According to First Selectman Herb Rosenthal, the two groups are not that far apart in their “multiple use” visions for Fairfield Hills, although member Ruby Johnson resigned from the committee this week, saying she could not go along with any vision that includes a corporate park. (See separate story.)

At next week’s workshop, the advisory committee will present the options for re-use of the site. Also, costs for purchasing the site, addressing environmental concerns, rehabilitating buildings and constructing new buildings will be presented. After the presentation, participants will break into smaller discussion groups led by members of the advisory committee. During these smaller discussions, the members will collect comments from residents regarding the options presented.

“This is an opportunity for the public to have specific input into the advisory committee’s recommendation,” Mr Floros said. “I hope the public will take an active role in this important workshop.”

Following the public workshop, the advisory committee will review the comments received and prepare its final recommendation.

Said Mr Floros, “It is not our job to plan specific elements of the property’s redevelopment. If the town goes ahead and purchases the site, a master plan must still be developed for the site. Our role is to determine whether it makes sense for Newtown to purchase the property, and how the property might meet the needs of the town.”

The committee plans to make a recommendation to Mr Rosenthal by early March. The town has until March 6 to formally indicate interest in buying Fairfield Hills to the state. From there, it has 60 days to negotiate a price. That 60 days can be extended if the town shows it is moving in a direction toward buying the campus, Mr Rosenthal said.

Town officials are also anxious to see this process played out due to the start of the budgetary process. Fairfield Hills, as well as several other projects all impacted by its purchase, play a large role in the 2000-2001 budget.

Mr Rosenthal said a town meeting to vote on Fairfield Hills, as well as the proposed 5/6 school, will take place some time this spring.