Newtown Youth Services Enjoys ‘Cozy’ New Home

By Larissa Lytwyn

Newtown Youth Services has a new home.

For several years, NYS had been based in part of the former Newtown Congregational Church building on 41-A Main Street. They had to make other arrangements when the Newtown Savings Bank purchased the building.

“As part of their [long-term] expansion plan, the bank wanted to be able to use the space that we were in,” explained NYS Youth Program Coordinator Roseanne Loring.

The agency thus embarked on a six-month search to find an ideal new location — cozy, inviting, and accessible to residents.

Most of the places NYS staff and board members searched, however, were traditional office spaces either inappropriate or too expensive for NYS’s needs.

Then, in late May, NYS board member Joy Kopesky spotted an ad in The Newtown Bee classifieds for a two-year leasing opportunity at 10 Glen Road in Sandy Hook.

Owner Ray Ruzek had purchased the 200-year-old house in 1982.

Originally, Mr Ruzek had occupied the residence himself and ran his own CPA firm from it. Later, he leased the property to several tenants.

Most recently, a man tried to establish an Irish art gallery at the location, but the business never quite got off the ground.

NYS Director Anthony Tozzi immediately fell in love with the property, which he deemed an intimate, “cozy” setting in which NYS staff and visitors could easily feel at home.

NYS moved into its new location in early June and has spent the summer coordinating its phone and computer connections.

Today, NYS is all settled in and ready for the 2004-05 school year.

“While the new location is smaller than our space at 41-A Main Street, it is definitely cozier,” said Youth Coordinator Roseanne Loring.

Each of the home’s rooms is color-coordinated, a concept that developed during the move-in process. “We labeled boxes by writing the name of the color on them that matched the room it was supposed to go in,” said Ms Loring.

The house includes a blue room and a green room, each occupied by inviting couches, side tables and, in the case of the downstairs blue room, a television and VCR.

Ms Loring’s office is known as “the pink room.”

There is also a fully equipped kitchen is adjacent to a small foyer and “waiting room” area.

Pictures of NYS staff and youth at various NYS events, including the spring talent show, adorn the walls.

“We are really enjoying our new location so far,” said Mr Tozzi. “The location is nice, right in the center of Sandy Hook, which is an up-and-coming part of the community. We have a great working relationship with Mr Ruzek and the home itself is very warm and inviting.”

He also emphasized that there was “good parking” in the spacious lot at the side of the new NYS center. The massive NYS banner hangs prominently on the side of the large white colonial, easily visible from the street.

Ms Loring said she is “happy” to have a good location for the next two years. There are, however, certain things about the agency’s prior location she misses, such as the multipurpose room.

Ideally, she said, she would love NYS to have a location that included more recreational opportunities and larger office space.

“At our present location, we will have to hold large gatherings offsite,” she said. But, at the current moment, she said she is overall quite satisfied with NYS’ new location. “We’re looking forward to the school year,” she said.

For more information on NYS programs, call 270-4335.