Date: Fri 25-Jun-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Fairfield-Hills-Becker

Full Text:

Prospective Fairfield Hills Developer Alters Proposal

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Avalon Bay Communities, Inc, the high-density developer that wants to build

304 rental apartments on Mt Pleasant Road in Hawleyville, has been replaced by

another firm as the multi-family developer in one of the four competing bids

for a mixed-use redevelopment of the state's core campus at Fairfield Hills.

The Fairfield Hills Selection Committee, the joint town-state panel that is

reviewing the four proposals to redevelop Fairfield Hills, has agreed to a

request from Becker and Becker Associates, Inc, of New Canaan to substitute

multi-family developer Archstone Communities of Bellevue, Wash, for Avalon Bay

of Alexandria, Va.

Avalon's proposal for Avalon at Newtown, the envisioned 304-unit rental

apartment complex on 40 acres in Hawleyville, has drawn a cool reception from

town officials, who question the high density of the project. The project

represents the largest private residential development ever proposed locally.

In its several development applications to the town for Avalon, Avalon Bay

Communities seeks to rewrite existing zoning regulations to allow much higher

construction densities than currently permitted.

Richard Nuclo, director of assets management for the state Office of Policy

and Management (OPM), Tuesday termed Becker and Becker's replacement of Avalon

by Archstone in the Fairfield Hills competition "a fair substitution." Also,

Becker and Becker has added Benchmark Assisted Living of Wellesley Hills,

Mass, to the roster of firms in its Fairfield Hills redevelopment bid, Mr

Nuclo said.

Bruce Becker, president of Becker and Becker, wasn't available for comment

this week on Archstone replacing Avalon.

Reasons

In a June 14 letter to Mr Nuclo, Mr Becker wrote "Avalon's intention to

develop another apartment community in (Hawleyville) may create conflicts with

Becker and Becker's (Fairfield Hills) objectives, and Archstone's approach to

securing development rights is more consistent with Becker and Becker's

philosophy."

In light of the state's desire to limit the amount of multi-family development

at Fairfield Hills, Becker and Becker requested that Archstone be substituted

for Avalon, Mr Becker wrote.

"Archstone is more comfortable than Avalon in proceeding with the amount of

multi-family housing that is allowed as-of-right under the existing Fairfield

Hills Adaptive Re-use Zone. Archstone also places a greater value on

as-of-right multi-family development rights, and their objectives are more

consistent with Becker and Becker's master plan for the property," Mr Becker

wrote.

Archstone has a total market capitalization of $5.4 billion compared to

Avalon's capitalization of $4.2 billion, Mr Becker wrote.

Archstone was among the 12 firms involved in the first round of proposals on

redeveloping Fairfield Hills, but was not among the four finalists chosen by

the selection committee in March.

First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal said the Planning and Zoning Commission

(P&Z) has informed each of the four development teams competing to redevelop

Fairfield Hills of the residential construction densities which would be

allowed in a private redevelopment of the site.

Mr Rosenthal said Avalon constructs attractive apartment complexes, but

questioned the high density of its projects.

The four final proposals to redevelop Fairfield Hills are scheduled for

submission to OPM by July 12. Selection committee members plan to review the

proposals before recommending one some time after Labor Day.

"I think we are going to be impressed with the quality of the work," Mr Nuclo

said of the four expected submissions. "I think all of them are working very,

very diligently," he added. Mr Nuclo said he expects the four development

teams will have expanded rosters of development partners when making their

final submissions.

In its initial proposal for Fairfield Hills redevelopment submitted last

winter, Becker and Becker proposed a mixed-use residential development. It

would rehabilitate all buildings to preserve historic character, renovating

the larger buildings to provide affordable housing and market-rate housing,

creating an estimated 400 to 700 dwelling units.

Bridgeport Hall would be renovated for use as a community/recreation center.

The firm then stated it does not expect there would be significant demolition

or new construction at Fairfield Hills.

Proposed as uses for the property were senior citizen housing, congregate

housing, elderly housing, educational facilities, greenhouses, a garden shop,

child and adult day care facilities, town offices, art/culture spaces,

artists' housing, recreational uses, affordable housing, luxury apartments and

a fitness center/clubhouse.

Purchase Rights

The town has the right of first refusal on purchasing the Fairfield Hills core

campus, so the state will offer to sell the 186-acre core campus to the town

before offering to sell it to a private developer. The town will have 45 days

to indicate an interest in buying the site. If interested in a purchase, the

town would have another 60 days to negotiate a purchase from the state.

In March, the Fairfield Hills Selection Committee named four developers as

finalists in the competition to acquire and redevelop the core campus of the

former state psychiatric institution in the geographical center of town which

closed in 1995.

Besides Becker and Becker Associates, the competing developers are The

Community Builders, Inc, of New Haven; SBC Associates, LLC, of Greenwich, and

Wilder Balter Partners, LLC, of Elmsford, NY.

Each of the four developers chosen as finalists have proposed "mixed use"

scenarios, including significant amounts of residential development.

Fairfield Hills' core campus contains approximately 1.2 million square feet of

enclosed space in 16 major buildings. State officials have not set a price for

the property, saying the price will depend upon the uses to which the property

is put. The developers are expected to disclose what they are willing to pay

for the property in their July 12 submissions.