Local Businessman Has Taste For Development—

Developer Proposes

A Restaurant At Fairfield Hills

By Kendra Bobowick

Maybe an appetizer of lemon chicken with a warm merlot, or blackened salmon topped with a sprig of basil sizzling beside a chilled glass of chardonnay?

In time, this may be what diners hear in one of the buildings at Fairfield Hills. Local developer and builder Gordon J. Anderson is interested in renovating Stratford Hall into a catering facility, restaurant, and upscale bar.

“It should be nice,” said Mr Anderson, who envisions an outdoor patio and bar where businessmen and women share tables with residents who have just stepped out of a new retail shop for lunch, or are on their lunch-hour from work. He has clear reasons for choosing to invest in a Fairfield Hills, and on October 17 the Fairfield Hills Authority accepted his Letter of Intent to lease a property at Fairfield Hills. Members motioned to advance the letter to the selectmen for their approval.

A longtime resident with an interest in town, Mr Anderson is also encouraged to see that a handful of the duplex buildings skirting Washington Square are already under negotiations for lease from two other local developers, William Mangold Construction LLC, and Pushpa and Naveen Kapur. Mangold Construction intends to renovate buildings for office space, while the Kapurs are considering retail and boutique space.

The former state hospital campus, says Mr Anderson, is “nice, and quiet, and it’s parklike,” which appeals to him. He will conduct renovations only, and is not sure what restaurant will eventually occupy the space.

“Things are just preliminary now,” he said.

As the authority adjourned after its last meeting, member Andrew Willie said, “I think it would be a good spot for a restaurant.” Mr Willie recused himself from the vote due to a personal friendship with Mr Anderson. During a prior meeting where the authority accepted a Letter of Intent from Mangold Construction LLC, Mr Willie also abstained from the vote because Mr Mangold is his son-in-law.

The terms and rate of Mr Anderson’s proposed lease shall be for 40 years, at a payment of $475,000. Lease payments will be due upon obtaining all permits and approvals to renovate Stratford Hall as a restaurant. The lessee will be responsible for common charges, taxes, individual garbage service costs, and also for water, sewer, and utility hookups.