Fairfield Hills: Past, Present,

And Future

To the Editor:

The state closed the doors of Fairfield Hills Hospital in 1995 and walked away from its responsibility to clean up the environmental contamination. It advertised the campus for sale nationwide, and three financially sound developers presented mixed plans for senior housing, luxury rentals, golf course, and commercial uses, but all three required the state to pay for the abatement of hazardous materials. Wilder-Balter estimated demolition and abatement costs at $9,465,000 and offered $2,207,000 for the land. The state refused to pay for abatement and rejected all three.

Learning that the town might purchase FFH, Wilder-Balter offered to abate and demolish all the buildings for $10.8 million plus the purchase price from the state of $2,207,000 for a total of $13,007,000. Wilder-Balter stated, “…the structures are, for the most part, physically and functionally obsolete for economic reuse.” Eventually, our town leaders paid $3.9 million and assumed the costs of demolition and abatement. HMA Consultants prepared estimates for the town to determine the amount of the bond issue (passed July 2001) for the purchase. They estimated $800,000 for remediation of site conditions (contaminated soil) and $7,173,600 to demolish eight buildings, and $6 million for town and school offices. A commercially centered master plan was developed, which the voters turned down 8/12/03. In 2004, the Legislative Council established the FFH Authority, and it began to spend the $20 million bond issue to develop a corporate park.

Unsuccessfully, Hawley Realty of Danbury attempted but failed to find tenants for Newtown Hall, and a veterinarian wanted Woodbury Hall, but financing the expensive project failed. The FFH Authority made the $1.1 million senior baseball diamond a high priority along with the conversion of Bridgeport Hall into a municipal center for an amount town officials continue to refuse to disclose, but which a good guess is $13–$14 million. Today, the $20 million bond issue, $3.5 million parking lot bond issue, and various grants totaling $875,000 have all been spent.

What lies ahead? The FFH Review Committee in undertaking the required five-year review and will make their findings public when finished. Meanwhile, the FFH Authority appears unconcerned that the town needs land now for a larger police station, swimming pools, playing fields, farmers’ market, cultural arts center, ambulance service, and future fire station, larger senior center, and school facilities for the technologies of tomorrow.

To even consider the sale of a building and land at FFH to help pay for necessary demolition is foolhardy. Commercial development anywhere in Newtown can offset some of the costs for FFH. We, the people, must be patient and slowly pay for the preservation of this beautiful property in the heart of Newtown. Let’s not be led astray by those who gambled on a corporate park and whose priorities consumed over $24 million. Slow and steady wins the race. We can do it; yes we can!

Ruby Johnson PhD

16 Chestnut Hill Road, Sandy Hook                       January 19, 2011