Crews began the demolition of Danbury Hall at Fairfield Hills at approximately 10 am on Monday, September 29.

The long-awaited final steps in removing the structure and opening up sightlines of the campus from Wasserman Way, officials were told, would take hours.

Initially, the Danbury Hall demolition was supposed to be part of a larger project to include razing the eight single-family former staff homes, but earlier this summer, the project funds were refocused just on Danbury. The price tag for complete abatement and removal of Danbury Hall is $511,000, according to First Selectmen Pat Llodra’s documentation.

In early August, Board of Finance and Legislative Council members approved adding funds to a previously approved bonding authorization. Mrs Llodra explained to the finance board that scattered concentrations of asbestos discovered as demolition crews chewed away at both locations was extensive.

The town in 2001 purchased more than 180 acres of Fairfield Hills from the state, which included the many former state hospital buildings. Plans to revitalize the campus, bring in economic growth, recreation, and municipal uses have included the demolition of structures that could not be reused. Danbury Hall is among a handful of buildings to come down. The removal several years ago of other buildings made room for NYA Sports & Fitness Center and a new baseball field.