Date: Fri 01-May-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

office-space-needs-committee

Full Text:

Panel Starts Work Once Again On Town Office Space Shortage

(with cut)

BY STEVE BIGHAM

The Municipal Space Needs Committee went back to the drawing board Monday

night in its continuing efforts to find a solution to Newtown's need for

government office space.

The committee is no longer putting a space needs study out to bid. Instead, it

will simply hire an architectural firm to finally get "the ball rolling."

The board, headed by Selectman Bill Brimmer, is scheduled to meet with three

separate architectural firms next month to explain what the town needs for a

new building. From there, the town will choose the firm with the best price so

that the study can finally go forward.

The study was supposed to commence nearly a year ago when the administration

of former first selectman Bob Cascella hired Antinozzi Associates of

Stratford. However, several residents recalled the firm's alleged poor

handling of a study it did for the state as it tried to find a site for a new

prison. Inaccuracies in the report led to the Garner Correctional Facility

being built in Newtown. The flap effectively blocked the local Antinozzi

study.

Mr Brimmer believes the town is now on course to resolve the problem. "I think

we're cranking along on this now," he said.

The study will determine what buildings in town would be best suited for town

offices.

In what one council member termed "an emergency situation," many of the town

employees have been working at Canaan House at Fairfield Hills since being

evacuated from a flooded Town Hall South nearly 15 months ago. The town's

two-year lease with the state for the building runs out in February and town

officials say one thing is for sure: a long-term solution won't be found by

then.

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal has said that he may eventually move employees

back to Town Hall South where at least the major leaking has been plugged. The

council recently approved a $62,000 transfer for roof repairs at the building.

This week, Mr Rosenthal said he has also considered leasing the former Gordon

Fraser building, which is currently on the market for $2.4 million. Either

option would buy the town some time as it looks for more permanent space.

Some members of the Legislative Council favor the outright purchase of the

Gordon Fraser building, pointing to its nearly 40,000 square feet of space and

its reasonable price.

But there are other possible solutions to the office space crunch. Space Needs

Committee members have been discussing how well an annex behind Edmond Town

Hall might work. This would involve renovating the Hook & Ladder Fire Company

into office space. The building could be accessed by town hall via a tunnel or

walkway, members say.