Authority Sets Its Sights On Demolition & Renovations At FFH Campus

By Kendra Bobowick

Water laden rooftops and building contours may largely determine Fairfield Hills’s future officials discovered Tuesday evening. Fairfield Hills Authority members assessed plans this week and realized the campus’s skyline may change.

Plymouth Hall in particular might fall to demolition.

“We recommend you take it down,” said Jerry Waters with Tai Soo Kim Partners. He discussed the firm’s preliminary findings. In past weeks teams have looked at the exterior and interior integrity of various buildings including Plymouth, Stratford, and Newtown Halls.

From a reuse perspective, Plymouth “has no redeeming qualities,” he said.

Authority members are determining the benefits of revamping buildings for potential rental space, and are “definitely talking about tenants,” said authority member Donald Studley.

The Master Plan Executive Summary states, “Selected structures within the entry plaza…should be renovated for economic development activity, such as small professional offices.”

Coming years may find residents moving past empty spaces where one or another of the stately brick-faced buildings now stand. Mr Waters gently led the authority toward this first piece of bad news.

Plymouth Hall “is really problematic,” he said.

“It’s the only building with structural damage,” he said. Mr Waters then described cracks in the brick, possibly from “freeze-thaw, freeze-thaw” activity. Plymouth also has internal gutters, which are leaking, he said. Mold and other factors, “make it difficult for reuse.”

Bridgeport Hall, which is being seriously considered as the site for the new town hall, earned an encouraging review.

“It’s in decent shape, has a great basement with no water in it, the foundation is tight with no settling or cracks,” he said. Several flat-roofed areas in the back are complications and may simply be removed, he said.

Stratford Hall

Possessing contrasting qualities is Stratford Hall.

“It is in pretty bad shape, but it’s such a little gem,” Mr Waters said. Tiles are coming off the ceiling throughout much of the structure, he said. Because Mr Waters could find little evidence of a bad roof, he did not have an explanation for the extensive water damage.

Authority chairman Robert Geckle solved the riddle. “There was a steam leak in that building that went undetected for months,” he said.

Seeing possibilities at Stratford, Mr Waters believes the windows can be painted and scraped, however, dollar signs loom.

“It would be fairly expensive to repair the flat roofs,” he said. He wants to set up a temporary hip roof and allow the hall to dry out, “then look at the future use. It’s really a beautiful building,” he said. As far as internal damage, Preconstruction Manager Scott Baillie with O&G Industries said anything made with asbestos would have to be removed if that is part of what’s coming down inside Stratford.

Mr Waters continued with his assessment, saying, “The basement water is not too bad, and the basement is clean.” Ideally, he said, he would like to clean up the hall.

Surrounded by a sense of quiet authority is Newtown Hall, overlooking a small green. Leading to the main entrance is a broad staircase ascending between decorative columns. Topping the roof is a clock inside a spire.

Inspections revealed that Newtown Hall is in good condition, has no roof leaks, and may benefit from a few changes. Mr Waters suggested better ventilation in the basement and some scraping and painting on the exterior.

Woodbury Hall presents a grim scenario, however.

“It’s in tough shape,” Mr Waters said. “It has been sealed up with no ventilation, it’s growing mold, the basement has water in it.” He proposes draining and gutting the basement, allowing it to dry, and then determining why the building is taking on water.

Finances will decide specifically what the authority chooses to do in coming months. Mr Baillie said, “As far as budgeting purposes we’ll break this down building by building.”

Mr Baillie will also look into demolition costs for Plymouth Hall.

The reality of any future demolition, renovations, or repairs, “becomes a matter of funding,” said Mr Geckle. Eventual sums will be funded by the bonded $20 million, approved for the Fairfield Hills Master Plan.