Fairfield Hills Authority Chairman Reports—

Elections Send Ripple Through Real Estate Negotiations

By Kendra Bobowick

The chairman’s news stilled rustling papers and halted a few whispered conversations Tuesday as the Fairfield Hills Authority meeting prepared to adjourn.

“A couple of real estate negotiations, particularly on the duplexes and a restaurant, have concerns relative to the change in town leadership, just to let everybody know,” authority chairman Bob Geckle said.

In past weeks developers had submitted letters of intent to lease several of the smaller Fairfield Hills buildings with plans to renovate space for a boutique, offices, and a restaurant. However, pens have stopped short of signing a lease agreement. “We’re working on it,” he said Wednesday morning.

In the wake of November 2 municipal elections that unseated First Selectman Herb Rosenthal, first selectman-elect Joesph Borst’s comments may be the reason why.

In a recent conversation with The Bee, Mr Borst had said one of his first responsibilities upon taking office will be to evaluate the whole Fairfield Hills project, and would honor his promise to scrutinize the status of a town office project to determine if it can be stopped or put on hold. He said he was never happy with the idea of Bridgeport Hall housing town offices.

Developers have been counting on municipal and education board offices relocating to the campus and anchoring the overall redevelopment project. Mr Geckle said Wednesday, “It was an important piece of the plan. Developers wanted to see a commitment on the part of the town.” The town hall would create activity and bring traffic through Fairfield Hills, he noted.

Following Tuesday’s meeting and Mr Geckle’s news, Mr Borst, who had attended his first Fairfield Hills meeting in two years, denied that he intended to stop the redevelopment project.

“I wouldn’t tell them to stop,” he said. After hearing from the chairman that developers are concerned specifically because of “change in town leadership,” he said, “It’s the first I heard of it.” Regarding speculations that he will stop the project, Mr Borst said, “Not true.”

Specifying his intentions, he said, “I want a complete review, I want to understand what’s going on.” (See related article.)

In the week following the election, The Bee reported Mr Borst believed that public concern over the town-owned campus and former state hospital was among the driving forces that motivated voters to seat new leadership. He had said he “liked the idea” brought forth by Independent Party of Newtown (IPN) contenders who are calling to use existing bonded funds to clear two vacant buildings from around the site of a new private recreation facility, Newtown Youth Academy, already scheduled to be built on the campus.

IPN members and recently elected Legislative Council members soon to take their seats, Po Murray and Gary Davis, also attended Tuesday’s authority meeting. Mr Davis had expressed his concerns in a letter, which he reiterated that night. He urged the authority to complete planned demolitions of buildings near the youth academy’s location rather than continuing work at Bridgeport Hall to house municipal offices. In his letter, he said, “You intend to leave dilapidated buildings standing while you construct a new town hall in another part of campus.”

He stressed it would devalue the area surrounding the academy. He believes that focusing funds and attention to portions of the project near the academy — located beside a recently completed 90-foot ball field — should take place prior to finishing town hall. His letter suggests completing the parking areas and moving ahead with demolition to establish green space and “complete refurbishment of this portion of the campus.”

Tuesday, Mr Davis again urged the authority to concentrate on work in proximity to the academy, rather that Bridgeport Hall.

Stressing again the importance of the municipal building to the overall campus redevelopment, Mr Geckle said, “It encourages developers to make commitments.” He also wondered aloud why Mr Davis wanted parking and demolition before development.

Although he agreed that no one wants to look at Greenwich House anymore — a building in line for future demolition — he said finishing work to relocate offices to Bridgeport Hall “is an important part of the mix.” The authority members have been and still are working hard, he said.

Authority member Amy Dent also defended board members.

“The implication that things are being done scatter-shot is a misrepresentation. If you look at what’s happening, things are being done in areas as planned,” she said. “To suggest that we’re taking a shotgun approach is inaccurate.”

Mr Davis considered the answers and said, “People don’t have a good feel for it…people are getting bits and pieces and you can’t remind people enough of where you are. I think people don’t fully understand, rightly or wrongly.” He said he thought people saw the Fairfield Hills project as largely for recreation, then economic development.

Following the meeting, Ms Dent explained that the youth academy, a private endeavor, was happenstance. In the past year the academy entered plans that have been evolving since 2001 when the town appropriated $21 to purchase and redevelop Fairfield Hills. She was upset with the idea that funds should be diverted from Bridgeport Hall work to complete demolition of buildings around the academy, as Mr Davis’s letter suggested.