Designers Find A Place

To Park At Fairfield Hills

By Kendra Bobowick

Each holding down a corner of the large drawing or leaning in for a better view, Fairfield Hills Authority members got a first look at preliminary parking plans for the front area of a once bustling campus that now sees only occasional traffic. Since the state closed its psychiatric hospital in the late 1990s the daily arrival of doctors, nurses, personnel, and guests has dried up, leaving the pavement to crumble and grass to sprout in the cracks.

The diminished activity is now on the brink of change, however. Authority members are preparing to meet the parking needs, for one, of developers, including Hawley Realty, the company renovating space at Newtown Hall where Danbury Hospital’s extended services will be located. Diagonal and gridlike bold patterns indicating clusters of parking spaces spread across the table Tuesday evening, drawing varying responses from authority members.

Studying the parking patterns placed in the vicinity of Newtown, Stratford, and Woodbury Halls and the duplexes — representing the front section of campus nearer to Wasserman Way — Don Studley cooled the mood. Turning to look at Chairman Robert Geckle he said, “It’s going to look like one big parking lot.”

Maybe, and maybe not. “One of the criticisms has always been that we’re going to turn this into a big lot, and we’re not,” said authority member Moira Rodgers. Making his position clear in a later interview, O&G Industries Project Manager David Cravanzola said, “It’s an incorrect statement to say we’re paving things over.” The parking is aimed to accommodate what the campus tenants will need.

As plans proceed to provide parking for what will soon house hospital services, possibly Kevin’s Community Center, a restaurant, and small office space, Mr Cravanzola notes an important clause in the parking objective: “We are trying to minimize amount of parking and maximize the reuse of existing space.” Parking arrangements also aim to blend in. “We are doing all that we can to design in a way that goes with the campus,” he stressed.

Mentioning details not visible in the drawings, but aspects, “we’re keeping,” he described the green areas behind and around Woodbury and Newtown Halls and near the duplexes. Tuesday evening found only a black and white sketch of parking areas for authority members to see. The image for that corner of the campus is incomplete. Although the abstract scene is also tough to explain, Mr Cravanzola later added life and color to the paper. Trees and green spaces are not in the drawings yet, for example, but plans are “absolutely” designed with aesthetic values in mind, he agreed.

While putting to use as much existing parking as possible, the spaces will also be consolidated, Mr Cravanzola told the authority members Tuesday. Also at the meeting was Public Works Director Fred Hurley, who observed, “It’s a more efficient use.” Ms Rodgers agreed.

Mr Studley again stressed concerns over how the campus would appear with “all the cars” parked near the buildings that will soon again be in use. Mr Geckle said, “Don, I agree.” But other alternatives presented problems. After many past meetings to discuss parking, Mr Geckle disliked options that “paved more grass” or that presented topographical problems.  Drainage problems also arose, Mr Hurley said.

Agreeable to the parking plan before him Tuesday, authority member Michael Holmes said, “I’ve seen it before, cars by the buildings and green in the middle…” Mr Studley stated again, “I just don’t like parking in front of those buildings.”

“I understand,” Mr Geckle said, “but it’s a compromise.” Other options could jeopardize green areas or present drainage complications, he said. Also, the medical facility slated to occupy Newtown Hall requires close parking. “It’s a medical facility, it’s the nature of the beast and needs spaces right outside the door.”

“Spaces also need to be near the handicap ramp,” Mr Cravanzola added. During an interview after the meeting this week, Mr Geckle emphasized, “We’re not creating a lot of new paved areas — it’s mostly existing.” Once the parking schemes throughout the campus are complete, he said, “Really, we’ll have less impervious surfaces when it’s all done than currently exist.” Removing buildings marked for demolition is part of the reason, he said. “We’re taking buildings out of use and creating more green space.”

Their timeline is fast-paced. “We have to have parking by the end of 2008,” Mr Geckle said. David S. Hawley of Hawley Realty wants to occupy the building by the last quarter of 2008. So far no cost estimates have been completed. The project involves roughly 200 spaces in the vicinity of the three halls and the duplexes. A combination of the funds bonded for Fairfield Hills and money from lease negotiations with tenants will be used to cover parking costs, Mr Geckle said.

The proposed parking scheme will not necessarily all take place at once. “We’ll do parking possibly as we need it,” he said.

An

Overview

Two zones or areas for parking plans occupy the front of the campus around Woodbury, Newtown, and Stratford Halls and the duplexes, and the second area is the back of the campus. Mr Geckle explained that another parking scheme will serve Bridgeport Hall, under renovation to house municipal and education board offices, the future recreation/community center, the Newtown Youth Academy, which is a private venture now under construction, and the 90-foot baseball field that will be open for use in an upcoming season.

Parking at the rear of the campus could at first be temporary, but ultimately will occupy some of the space where Greenwich House now stands, Mr Geckle explained. “Depending on when Greenwich comes down, permanent parking will be put in place. We’re hoping to skip the temporary [parking] but it all depends on money available.”

Mr Geckle hopes for grant funds for several things, including demolition.

“Greenwich is the number one priority for demolition,” especially for parking solutions, he said. “I would much rather go permanent. The buildings and field are within reach of one another and could share from centralized parking in the area Greenwich now occupies.”

As the buildings stand now, Bridgeport must look over Greenwich to see the Newtown Youth Academy, which is where Bridgewater once stood. Slightly to the academy’s right side is Litchfield House — the proposed recreation center location, and to the left of the academy is the new baseball diamond, settled into the footprint left by Fairfield House.

Considering the soon-to-be occupants at the revamped Fairfield Hills, Mr Geckle said, “I am comfortable that we have a good solution for the tenants.”