Woodbury Hall, Victory Garden,

Grant Funds In Play At FFH

By Kendra Bobowick

Building proposals, gardens, and grant funds highlighted Wednesday’s Fairfield Hills Authority meeting this week. It learned that Claris Construction Inc of Newtown has an interest in redeveloping the Woodbury Hall site, which is among “active proposals” for the former state hospital facility, according to First Selectman Pat Llodra.

Sitting down with the authority Wednesday, she explained preliminary discussions with Claris to “take down Woodbury and rebuild for retail space.”

Member Michael Holmes later mentioned what “appears to be a good proposal,” but noted that Claris has not yet submitted formal paperwork on Woodbury.

He and member Ross Carley have met with Claris President Philip Clark and town officials to talk about the site’s reuse. Mr Carley said, “They’ll use the existing footprint,” but the new structure would be roughly six feet higher.

Mr Holmes said that based on a preliminary review, the proposal “appears to be within the scope of the master plan for that area of the campus.”

Mr Carley said, “I would like to see this move forward,” hinting that Claris was eager to move quickly on the project.

Mrs Llodra sees a “great opportunity to focus on the area” where Woodbury stands, which is adjacent to a plot where the Newtown Ambulance Association would like to build a new garage. Noting a recent $400,000 grant award to invest in lighting, infrastructure, street repairs, and more, in that section of the campus, Mrs Llodra said, “I want to use that money in ways that are visible and convey that we’re committed to developing Fairfield Hills. We’re taking the opportunity to improve in the area of Woodbury and the [proposed] ambulance garage.” She stands behind an “investment in the positive future of our town,” she said.

Ambulance Garage

The Victory Garden in Fairfield Hills may need to relocate.

Its current spot near old tennis courts in a field bordering Wasserman Way and across from the Reed Intermediate School is also an ideal location for a proposed new Newtown Ambulance Association building.

During the Fairfield Hills Authority meeting Wednesday, association president Bruce Herring unfolded architect’s prints of a proposed two-story, five-bay building on a plot that sits exactly where the Victory Garden was installed. While he also is waiting for financing and various approvals, for one, Authority Chairman James Bernardi noted, “We definitely want you on campus.”

Mr Herring confirmed that his group is now considering construction of a new, five-bay, 12,000 building. Road access and traffic conditions there are optimum compared to a previously considered site on the corner of Keatings Farm Road and Mile Hill South near Cochran House.

Fundraising, savings, donations and grants will fund the estimated $4 million project.

Victory Garden

Victory Garden founder Harvey Pessin also addressed the authority Wednesday with several new ideas.

He is seeking a grant “from an organization that plants fruit trees; we meet the criteria,” he said. But where will the garden or possible fruit trees be located? Mr Bernardi thought back to where the ambulance garage may go and said, “But [the garden] may move.”

Laughing, Mr Pessin said, “I am acutely aware,” but he needed to know from the authority if he should pursue the grant. He said, “My concept is, this would be part of the Victory Garden, wherever it moves to.” Adding a heavy caveat, he said, “We have to guarantee 20 years.”

“That’s the part that worries me,” Mr Bernardi said.

“I only want to put these trees in the ground once,” Mr Pessin said.

Mr Bernardi added, “We would love to have fruit trees,” but the locations of things on campus “tend to migrate.”

“We can’t guarantee 20 years,” Mr Holmes said.

“They know it’s public land,” Mr Pessin replied. Property Manager Maria DeMarco said, “Go for it, get the money.”

The garden is a volunteer project designed to provide fresh produce to the town’s food pantries, and is entering its second year.