How Much Vacant Commercial Space Does Newtown Need?
How Much Vacant Commercial Space Does Newtown Need?
To the Editor:
Can Newtown hope to attract enough large or small businesses to fill the vacant commercial space currently available in Newtown and the surrounding area? Two hundred years ago Thomas Jefferson said, âMerchants have no countries.â Said another way, âCommerce has no boundaries.â As of February 28, 2003, the Real Estate Multiple Listing Service showed, for lease or rent, these vacant amounts of commercial space in our area given in square feet: Bethel 220,794, Brookfield 338,807, Danbury 768,327, Monroe 103,743, Trumbull 64,525, Newtown 114,423 for a total of 1,610,619 square feet.
Included in the Newtown total is about 37,000 square feet of âfor leaseâ space in the Observatory Building which has been completely renovated and boasts a fitness center and conference room for the use of the tenants. Not included in the listing are such places as the Grand Union, the garage and office building at the corner of Wasserman Way and Main Street, two retail shops in the Village Square area along with the former Mona Lisa space, the Brick Store in Sandy Hook and others. HMA consultants reported to the Planning and Zoning Commission last October that Newtown has a total of 1,590,000â1,790,000 square feet of potential nonresidential space to offer to prospective businesses, including land in Hawleyville, Curtis Corp Industrial Park, and the town-owned Commerce Park expansion. While all of us would like to broaden the tax base, we must be realistic.
Add to this amount the approximately 254,000 square feet at Fairfield Hills to be put on the market under the selectmenâs proposed Master Plan. The plan calls for office space and hotel rooms in the brick buildings and retail space in the renovated duplexes. The plan designates $900,000 for mothballing a combination of buildings for five years. If no developer can be found, the buildings would be demolished. Can we expect all of this space to be filled anytime soon? Will Edmond Town Hall be added to the office space inventory?
Those of us who want to see Fairfield Hills reserved for town needs, now and 50 years from now, are skeptical of the master plan. The tragic closing of the Kendro Laboratories facility may add even more vacant commercial space to the Newtown inventory. If the master plan included only 50,000 square feet (such as Woodbury, Newtown, and Stratford halls), the supply of vacant commercial property would be more than adequate for years to come. The remainder of the campus could be enjoyed by all of us.
To destroy the Fairfield Hills campus with a plan that is unlikely to succeed is foolish. I reject the proposed master plan because I want the primary goal of buying Fairfield Hills to be for the people of Newtown to enjoy the campus for years to come. Newtown already has more than enough commercial space. Remember 1,590,000â1,790,000 square feet are waiting for tenants.
Letâs keep Fairfield Hills Green!!
Ruby K. Johnson
Chestnut Hill Road, Sandy Hook                                    June 3, 2003