Danbury Hospital Eyes Fairfield Hills Space

By Kendra Bobowick

Spicing conversation during a late October Pizza & Politics forum held at Reed Intermediate School, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal spoke with certainty about Danbury Hospital’s interest in space at Fairfield Hills.

“We will be having something with Danbury Hospital,” he said, hinting at an official announcement that, in fact, came days after the October 29 forum.

But it was not until November 7 that Frank J. Kelly, CEO of Danbury Hospital and Danbury Health System, issued a statement confirming the news.

“Danbury Hospital is planning to develop medical services at the Fairfield Hills site,” he noted in an official statement Wednesday. “As we firm up plans we [will be] happy to share them with our community.”

What type of medical services will be coming to Fairfield Hills? “It could be any and all,” from offices to medical labs, said Andrea Rynn, Danbury Hospital community and government relations manager. “Everything is still in discussion,” she said. As far as timelines for committing to a lease for space in Newtown, Ms Rynn could not offer a date, but said, “I think things are moving along.”

Mr Rosenthal is not clear either on specifically what the hospital officials may have in mind, although he expressed his preferences. “I would like to see a one-day imaging facility, maybe something for preadmission testing,” he said. “We’re hopeful.” Medical attention aside, the first selectman believes a facility would be a convenience for residents.

“It would be a good public service to not have to go out of town to a hospital…” he said. Mr Rosenthal is only stating his preferences, however, and does not know specifically what planners intend to develop when the hospital takes space in Fairfield Hills.

Overall, Danbury Hospital’s involvement benefits the former state facility’s redevelopment. “This certainly adds stature to the project,” said Fairfield Hills Authority member Donald Studley. After Newtown purchased the property in the years following a 2001 town vote to appropriate roughly $21 million, planning began. Ideas for revamping the vacated state-owned buildings and land led to a master plan of redevelopment, which, in part, aimed to lease space to developers for purposes including corporate, retail, and municipal uses. In past months several private entities have entered lease agreements on several smaller duplexes for use as office and retail space. The town is renovating one of the larger brick buildings for reuse as municipal and education department offices.

According to Mr Studley, so far so good.

“The leasing has worked out as we intended from the beginning,” he said. “Things are moving along.”