Date: Fri 13-Nov-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

P&Z-Queen-Street-properties

Full Text:

P&Z Endorses Town Purchase Of Queen Street Properties

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members have endorsed the selectmen's

proposed town purchase of 13 acres at Fairfield Hills, including six houses

and eight vacant lots on the east side of Queen Street.

Ideas under consideration for the property include: refurbishing the homes for

use as affordable housing and conventional housing; demolishing the houses to

create open space land; constructing a youth soccer field; and constructing

some type of municipal building, possibly for use as office space or as a

firehouse for the Newtown Hook and Ladder Fire Company.

P&Z members supported the property purchase proposal in a 4-to-1 vote, with

member James Boylan dissenting, saying it does not make economic sense for the

town to acquire the real estate. The P&Z recommendation now goes to the

Legislative Council for action.

The selectmen have offered to buy the rolling strip of property from the state

for almost $1.2 million. The property consists of 14 lots, six of which

contain houses that would need major repairs before they would be habitable.

Acquiring such real estate is a complex process. Approvals from the selectmen,

Legislative Council, a town meeting, and possibly a referendum would be needed

for property acquisition.

The state's sale of the acreage stems from its 1995 closure of Fairfield

Hills, the psychiatric hospital which formerly served western Connecticut. The

state has provided the town with the initial opportunity to buy the real

estate. If the town does not buy it, the property will be offered for sale on

the open market.

The purchase proposal does not include the house and land at 49 Queen Street

which holds the Merryhill Child Care Center. That property is owned by the

state but leased to a private firm that runs the day care center.

In a report to the town, Building Inspector Thomas Paternoster writes that

using the houses as municipal office space is not feasible due to high

conversion costs.

"I would recommend, however, that if the town can buy these properties for a

fair price, with the intention of demolishing these buildings, and keep this

land for either open space or for future needs to satisfy the space

requirements for town offices, then we should do so," Mr Paternoster writes.

"I would also inquire about purchasing the (Merryhill) Center building, making

these properties (contiguous) without another property separating them," he

adds.

To describe the economics of property purchase and resale, the selectmen had

Porco Construction Company estimate the costs to bring the decayed structures

up to habitable standards.

Rosenthal

First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal told P&Z members some of the houses might be

improved and then used for affordable housing. Housatonic Habitat for

Humanity, a regional affordable housing group, has expressed interest in

buying one or more houses for renovation, the first selectman said.

If the homes are not sold for use as affordable housing, local realtors say

the town could realize a profit of between $30,000 and $70,000 per house when

the structures are resold, according to Mr Rosenthal.

Four vacant half-acre lots which would cost the town about $58,500 each to

buy, might be resold for $75,000 each, he said. Four vacant one-acre lots

costing $73,500 each might be resold for $98,000, he added.

Mr Rosenthal suggested that a section of the property at the northern end of

Queen Street be developed for soccer fields. Such development would occur to

provide soccer facilities for local youths after they no longer are able to

use state-owned soccer facilities at Fairfield Hills.

In a letter to town Financial Director Benjamin Spragg, Parks and Recreation

Director Barbara Kasbarian estimates that if the town uses highway department

services it could develop soccer facilities for possibly $25,000 or less. Mrs

Kasbarian states she expects town development costs could be lessened by

financial help provided by the Newtown Soccer Club. Maintenance costs for one

soccer field are estimated to be $1,200 annually.

Mr Rosenthal said that after the land is acquired, the town might build some

type of municipal building on property northeast of the intersection of Queen

Street and Mile Hill Road, possibly constructing a firehouse for the Newtown

Hook and Ladder Volunteer Fire Company.

Discussion

In considering the purchase proposal, Mr Boylan asked why the selectmen

offered the state the appraised value of the real estate. The amount the

selectmen have offered the state is too high, he stressed.

Mr Rosenthal said the state can easily get the price the town has offered it

by soliciting on the open market. The price offered by the selectmen is

actually a low price for the property, the first selectman said.

Mr Boylan said the state should sell the property to the town for $1.

State officials have told the town that it must offer the state at least the

appraised value of the real estate in order to buy it, Mr Rosenthal said.

"I'd like to see us get it, but not at that price," Mr Boylan responded.

He asked about the economic aspects of removing toxic substances from the

houses such as asbestos, a building material now categorized as "hazardous"

but which was extensively used in the past.

"We will sell these houses `as-is,'" Mr Rosenthal responded, explaining the

town would not become involved in asbestos removal unless it demolishes the

houses.

"We should go ahead and purchase all of them," said P&Z member Daniel

Fogliano.

Mr Boylan strongly disagreed, saying the purchase price is too high.

Mr Boylan said he has trouble recommending a purchase until the town develops

specific uses for the property. The houses aren't worth what the town would

spend on them and would result in the town losing money, he said.

"It's a crap shoot," Mr Boylan said, stressing the proposal does not make

economic sense. The houses are small, old structures, he said.

The state built the Queen Street houses as quarters for employees of Fairfield

Hills.

P&Z member Heidi Winslow pointed out the town's uses for the Queen Street real

estate are unclear, so it is necessary to formulate a specific development

plan for the property to form a consensus on its future use.

Ms Winslow urged that an ad hoc panel be created to develop such a plan.

Mr Rosenthal agreed that forming an ad hoc group is a good idea.

Such an ad hoc group recently advised Mr Rosenthal against buying the

Fairfield Hills 185-acre core campus now being offered for sale by the state.