Veterinary Facility On Brink Of Lease For Fairfield Hills

By Kendra Bobowick

It wasn’t wrapped up with a bow and didn’t come in a package, but the Fairfield Hills Authority’s last meeting of the year brought Newtown an early Christmas gift.

Glen Mountain Holding Company LLC, a veterinary facility, hopes to take the space at Woodbury Hall. After a quick executive session, the authority reconvened, finding member Walt Motyka with a quickly drafted motion in hand. He read: “We would like to proceed with a lease for a veterinary facility at Fairfield Hills.” Final paperwork is being settled between the company and town attorney regarding the agreement for a $760,000 lease, with the authority agreeing to share up to $40,000 for facility remediation.

The specialized veterinary hospital, which Mr Motyka explained will do surgeries, diagnostic emergency care, and is similar to Norwalk’s Veterinary Emergency Services where specialized surgeries — not traditionally performed by private veterinarians — take place.

Months ago town officials had signed a confidentiality agreement and kept quiet about the prospects of welcoming the animal hospital. Regardless, murmurings of the possible veterinary center have been ripening on the grape vine for weeks.

At the end of 2007, in the aftermath of municipal elections, a handful of possible lessees had dried up. Remembering the feelings he had at that time of finally bringing revitalization to the former state hospital campus that shut its doors in the late 1990s, Mr Motyka said Wednesday, “It’s like we had before, and lost; we’re back where we were.” Progress is again on the brink of bringing the bustle of business to the campus. Also ongoing are negotiations to sign a lease for an extension of Danbury Hospital services, which is looking at Newtown Hall.

In the last year private developer Peter D’Amico erected the Newtown Youth Academy, which has brought a flood of sports, health, and fitness enthusiasts to the campus. While the private venture is not part of the buildings eyed for the town’s reuse plans, which include relocating the municipal and education board offices to a new location at Bridgeport Hall, it is a breath of new life.