The last of four promised information sessions ahead of an upcoming referendum vote on possible limited residential/commercial mixed-use projects at Fairfield Hills was held virtually at 7 pm on October 5 to eliminate any risk of virus transmission.

Hosted by The Newtown Bee and moderated by Associate Editor John Voket, the session was webcast live on Facebook and is archived for viewing now on the newspaper’s YouTube channel. The webcast included remarks and participation from First Selectman Dan Rosenthal, who hosted three preceding community conversations in person with live audience participation prior to the pandemic.

View the session below:

Special guests for this latest virtual session were representatives from two development firms previously expressing interest in possibly renovating select buildings on the Fairfield Hills campus for primarily residential use, although any developments would also require a commercial component as well.

Steve Kominski joined the webcast representing Dakota Partners. Kominski coordinates financing on Dakota projects including securing low income housing tax credits (LIHTC), historic tax credits (HTC), and other financing through federal, state, and local programs. His responsibility is in part identifying, analyzing, securing, and structuring the financing of sites and buildings appropriate for multi-family housing and historic conversion.

The Dakota Partners team has decades of combined experience designing, developing, and building residential and commercial projects. Kominski was joined by the husband and wife team of Lawrence H. (Larry) Curtis and Marla Glanzer Curtis.

Larry Curtis is the President and Managing Partner of WinnDevelopment and member of the WinnCompanies Board of Directors. He has led a full range of real estate development and acquisition activities for the company for 34 years, helping WinnCompanies grow to more than 105,000 apartments under management in 22 states and Washington, DC.

He also has been instrumental in shaping WinnCompanies owned portfolio of 116 properties. Under his leadership, WinnDevelopment has become one of the nation’s top developers of historic and iconic buildings for use as residential housing. The company has amassed numerous awards for the sensitive renovation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings.

Marla Glanzer Curtis has run a private architectural and consulting firm, Marla Glanzer Curtis, AIA, for more than two decades. Before she began her own practice, Marla worked for The Architectural Team in Chelsea, Mass., and she continues to work with The Architectural Team as a consultant.

Her work has largely focused on the design of affordable housing in historic buildings.

Viewers of the approximately one hour and 15 minute webcast will hear self introductions from the developer participants, and segments of visual presentations prepared for the town in the event a November 3 referendum vote passes, and a residential component is added to the Fairfield Hills Master Plan as recommended last year by a local volunteer advisory committee.

(See more below under ‘Back Story’)

Line Of Questioning

Rosenthal opened the discussion clarifying that the upcoming referendum would not de facto authorize housing at the campus; that if the referendum passes, it is possible neither developer on the webcast would be involved if any proposed residential use is eventually authorized; and that the town reserves the right to reject any residential development proposed if it does not meet with the approval of myriad local boards and agencies.

Over a two week period leading up to the webcast, The Newtown Bee solicited questions from the public, and utilized all of those questions pertinent to the developers during the forum. Among those were queries about the size and scope of proposed apartments; breakdowns between market rate and affordable rental pricing; details about the shared parking situation and necessity for added parking surface installations; and the total number of units being considered.

Rosenthal stepped in responding to questions about whether any eventual residential component on the campus would necessitate curtailing public activities like the annual Arts Festival or Newtown Day. He also explained how the town might structure land leases under the buildings poised for development if proposed conversions are authorized.

While Kominski clarified that his company might be interested in developing living and commercial space at Cochrane House on Mile Hill Road South, WinnCompanies said they targeted Kent House and Shelton House for possible conversion and reuse.

The developers spoke about what attracted them to Newtown and Fairfield Hills for possible involvement in converting existing buildings for residential use; clarified that proposed residential developments would be rentals, and those rentals would consist primarily of one-bedroom, and a smaller proportion of 2-bedroom apartments.

They reviewed conversion projects already successfully completed by their respective companies; how ongoing facility management would be administered; and how campus visitor/resident conflicts might be addressed and mitigated. Both candidly responded to a question about what would happen if the developer defaults on a contract once a project is in process or after projects are completed and occupied.

The presentation supplied by the First Selectman’s Office can be reviewed by visiting https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yypzIqwBOd_o21z_6DUE7G7hPrSo5eQI/view.

The presentation by Kominski on behalf of Dakota Partners can be reviewed by visiting https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VUA7WEFNDH4CBuvLDhz2Xc0t4GVYX3y_/view.

The presentation by WinnCompanies is available by visiting https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EmU_XukjKpXVhx0F9j1snMjdbRakiaFK/view.

The Back Story

The three initial community conversations were devised by Rosenthal after a volunteer committee reviewing the master plan unanimously recommended including possible mixed-use development. That advisory committee work included a survey that took most of the possible future options for remaining institutional buildings on the campus into consideration.

The results indicated there were many residents opposed to the idea of housing, but who favored revenue-generating development. However, Rosenthal previously noted that there was nothing in the survey related to the future of those remaining buildings if they are not part of a mixed-use development proposal.

“Those survey results have to be viewed in respect to the fact that they leave out a big question about what the town should do with the remaining buildings,” he said. Concerns and misinformation that quickly began circulating in the wake of the released master plan revision recommendations motivated Rosenthal to hit pause as he and other officials instead decided to hold several community conversations on the mixed-use proposal before scripting an advisory question for voters to consider.

Following delays in holding the final info session with possible developers, and crafting the ballot question to voters due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more recent deliberations among members of the Legislative Council produced the November 3 ballot question that will empower residents to determine whether mixed-use commercial/residential development will move forward as an option in the Fairfield Hills Master Plan:

“Should the Town of Newtown consider commercial proposals at the Fairfield Hills campus that include a housing component, provided that a housing component would be limited to no more than two of the existing buildings, and that the renovation is consistent with the architectural vision for the property?”

While the question is technically advisory in nature, Rosenthal said results of the referendum would be binding as far as he is concerned. If the measure does not pass, he has said the town will likely move forward committing future bonding to razing most of the remaining buildings.

The information sessions kicked off last September 23, with a historical overview of the campus before and since the town voted to acquired the former state hospital and part of its grounds in 2001.

A second presentation November 18 covered financials regarding the property since the purchase by the town in 2004; what expenses and revenues had been realized as a result of owning Fairfield Hills; past, ongoing, and future expenses and revenues; along with operational budget, bonding, and grants details.

The latest forum, in February, covered possible options to be considered for the future use of the buildings and/or property at Fairfield Hills.

View previous info sessions and accompanying documents by visiting www.newtown-ct.gov/board-selectmen/pages/fairfield-hills-forums.

Any further questions can be directed to Rosenthal’s office. Registered voters can weigh in now through November 3 on the referendum question by applying for and completing a 2020 general election ballot.