The Board of Selectmen reviewed three possible locations in the southwestern corner of Fairfield Hills for the future community center site January 17, but the final decision on which will be chosen could be determined by what lies just below them.

Selectmen were joined by Rusty Malick and Kevin McFarland of the architectural firm Quisenberry Arcari, project consultant Geralyn Hoerauf, Planning Director George Benson, newly appointed Deputy Director of Economic and Community Development Christal Preszler, Public Works Director Fred Hurley, and past members of the Community Center Advisory Committee for the public unveiling of the three preliminary site locations.

The sites are along a strip of Simpson Street, which runs beside the Municipal Center up to the NYA Sports & Fitness facility, and either abut or overlay the former Canaan House, Litchfield House, and Yale Lab locations.

All three of those former state hospital facilities have been demolished. But as the selectmen and officials learned Tuesday, just under those sites and along Simpson Street are a number of gas, water, and sewer lines, as well as partially demolished or blocked tunnels that used to connect most of the hospital buildings.

Mr Malick said he and other design team members, along with several town staffers supporting the project, looked at the general area of interest from numerous perspectives, noting the former Canaan House site is a low point in the topography, but coincidentally is the location least subject to the fluctuating underground water table that actually reaches the surface as the land slopes upward slightly toward NYA.

Further complicating matters, Mr Malick said there are more utility courses crossing the Yale and Litchfield sites than the Canaan site.

Acknowledging that the finished building would be similar no matter where it goes, the architect noted that the community center would likely end up including 13,000-plus square feet of usable interior space, with exterior site options incorporating trail connections, a possible music pavilion, patios, even a lawn chess station or other activity areas, plus one or more parking lots.

Each site option also accounted for an attached but independently accessible senior center component, which First Selectman Pat Llodra previously envisioned as having both exclusive and shared aspects with the community center, connected by a central commercial kitchen.

Options To Consider

Option A was located so close to NYA that it would potentially create a need to reconfigure the roadway leading up to the southwestern end of the sports complex. Mr Malick said option A maintains the original project site and leaves the former Canaan area open for future development or parking for up to 150 vehicles.

He added, however, that Option A also limits future facility expansion options, would involve the highest site readiness costs, would be encroaching up to wetlands, and would be inconsistent with Fairfield Hills' original site plan.

Moving slightly westward, Mr Malick said Option B offers more flexibility for placement of a planned pavilion, adjacent parking, but still offers limited expansion options, involves a lot of utility overlays, and comes with moderately escalated site preparation costs.

Option C would have the community center facility located squarely on the former Canaan House site, providing multiple expansion options, and space for a large multipurpose greenway. It also includes the least amount of interfering utility infrastructure, as well as other underground foundation, tunnels, and wetland encroachment.

That third option would also provide for cost-effective site development, and adjacent parking.

Mr Hurley told selectmen that the design team's concern for wetland encroachment "is quite genuine."

"It gets much better as you move west," he added. The public works chief said Option B has a deep storm drain buried about 20 feet below grade, but is otherwise workable.

"We can make that site ready at reasonable costs," Mr Hurley said, adding that developing on site B provides an opportunity to relocate about 500 feet of sewer pipes. He said power is available to all three sites, and there is a water line that could be directly tapped to serve either option B or C.

Mr Benson said that Option C seemed like the best site, and added that the only benefit to Option A is its direct proximity to NYA if desired.

"Option C is better for parking," he added.

Costly Demolition

Ms Preszler said that Options A and B would require costly further demolition and abatement of tunnels, while Option C would not, allowing for developers to concentrate the bulk of the $10 million given to the town for the community center by General Electric on the facility itself and related exterior features.

Community Center Committee alumnus Kinga Walsh said she was concerned there would not be enough parking, especially during the winter when the NYA is often packed with users. Brian Hartgraves asked developers to settle on a location that would still complement NYA.

Andy Clure also said he was hoping it would be closer to NYA, noting that Option B may be best with its proposed green space on both sides of the facility. Carla Kron asked whether the design team had considered putting it where the baseball field is on the opposite side of NYA, leaving the Simpson Street site open for possible future development.

Parks & Rec Director Amy Mangold told officials she would hate to spend too much of the budget on site development, taking funds away from developing the facility itself.

Selectman Herb Rosenthal asked whether the Fairfield Hills Authority had been brought into the discussion. Authority member Terry Sagedy was on hand and said he would be bringing information to his colleagues from the selectmen's meeting, and that it was too early in the process for him to comment.

As the presentation concluded for this meeting, the architects were charged with confirming the range of utility and other under surface conflicts and to come up with some proposed ideal siting for buildings at sites B and C. Although all three selectmen saw advantages to the furthest site, it appeared they were most interested in some of the features of Option C on the Option B location.

Mr Rosenthal said he would like to see the site closer to NYA, and stressed locating the senior center add-on toward the front or street side of the building. Selectman Will Rodgers also appeared to be leaning toward either site B or C.

"I like all three," Mrs Llodra said, adding she saw some advantages to each. "I like the synergy to NYA if it's closer, and I'm excited to have the conversation," she said, adding that she was not inclined to consider Option A.