Stratford Hall Eatery One Step Closer

By John Voket

Following a public hearing on November 5, the Board of Selectmen unanimously endorsed a proposed restaurant project for Stratford Hall on the Fairfield Hills campus. This takes one project on the grounds of Fairfield Hills, which had already been addressed by the Fairfield Hills Authority in October, one step closer to happening.

According to First Selectman Herb Rosenthal, Newtown resident Gordon J. Anderson of Glenmor Drive expressed interest in opening an upscale restaurant in the former state hospital building on the town-owned campus. During the public hearing, Mr Rosenthal detailed numerous aspects of the lease agreement, as outlined in a letter of intent between the town and the prospective lessee.

Term of Lease shall be 40 years from date of execution of a final lease documents, with a one-time lease payment of $475,000 due upon the lessee obtaining all permits and approvals to renovate Stratford Hall as a restaurant.

Upon the successful negotiation of the lease, Mr Anderson will have the option to extend the lease for four successive five-year terms. The cost of each extension shall be the fair market value thereof as agreed to by the parties, Mr Rosenthal said.

Other terms of the lease include:

*Lessee will be responsible for a common area charge of $1.61 per square foot. This charge will not increase more that three percent per year for the first three years, at which point it will be adjusted for actual costs.

*Lessee will be responsible for all taxes in accordance with the Town of Newtown’s tax policy. Lessee will be eligible to apply for any applicable business tax incentives available.

*Lessee will be responsible for individual garbage service costs, with access to authority negotiated preferred provider rates.

*Lessee will be responsible for sewer, water, utility hook ups from the battery line to its unit.

*Ongoing usage/costs are the responsibility of the lessee.

Based on the terms, all buildings are leased “as is, where is, and with all faults,” and the users must conform to the FHA Master Plan permitted uses. The tenant incurs all expense to make all repairs and renovations, and is obliged to secure all necessary permits and approvals before commencing renovations and repair work that it will perform in conformance with all applicable rules, laws, and regulations.

The Fairfield Hills Authority warrants that soil remediation has been completed in accordance with all requirements, and will provide all infrastructure requirements to the battery line, including water, sewer, electric, gas, and communications.

The authority will provide paved parking for the facilities. Such parking, in keeping with the master plan concept, may be shared with other facilities on the campus.

As in other leases already negotiated for space on the campus, the authority agrees to provide access road, sidewalks, and street lighting as required, as well as security, road maintenance, sidewalk maintenance, common area lighting, lawn and landscape maintenance, and snow removal.

The letter of intent, which the selectmen endorsed, attempts to explain the basic terms and conditions of a transaction between the parties but in no way does executing this letter create a contract between or legally bind either party. Both parties acknowledge that only an agreed to and fully executed lease will create a binding contract between the parties.

The authority approved the letter of intent and recommend its approval by the Board of Selectman, subject to final lease terms being negotiated by the Town of Newtown’s attorney and Mr Anderson’s attorney. The ;essee has 30 days from the date of signing this LOI to complete any required property due diligence.

Mr Anderson was at a meeting and was unavailable for comment at press time.