Officials Defend Fairfield Hills Work

By Kendra Bobowick

Town attorney David Grogins got to the point regarding recent discussions about Fairfield Hills: “Someone called the [Department of Environmental Protection] and made a lot of allegations.”

From there, yet another wave of scrutiny swept the former state hospital campus. Last week Public Works Director Fred Hurley called a meeting with state health officials and DEP representatives. The meeting “was not a case of problems,” however. The state “needed to be brought up to speed,” said Mr Hurley.

While the state walked away with paperwork that should answer any questions, Mr Grogins added, “I tend to believe all [reports] were filed,” with regard to work done to revitalize the grounds. Mr Hurley confirmed after the meeting that nothing was stopped or jeopardized, yet lingering concerns followed officials into this week.

Would work to bring gas and utilities to tenants, including the new Newtown Youth Academy, be compromised? Mr Grogins, for one, expressed confidence in current projects. He and others are also comfortable with the town’s ability to hold up its end of lease agreements for prospective tenants eying properties at Fairfield Hills.

Fairfield Hills Authority Chair Robert Geckle has little doubt that lights will be on and heat available to tenants, including the academy, as promised. “We fully intend to meet obligations,” he said Wednesday. Mr Grogins said he does not foresee things “being held up.” First Selectman Joe Borst deferred to the town attorney’s conclusions. Lease agreements are filed with the first selectman’s office at Edmond Town Hall.

Entertaining another “what if,” Mr Grogins believes that if something stalls plans, “We’ll work out how to deal with that issue” with the eventual tenants. “I am assuming parties will work together,” to complete utility work and parking, among other preparations for new business to open doors, he said.

In an effort to “get everyone on the same page,” Mr Hurley said the state now has documents to answer questions about permits, remediation, asbestos abatement, and more associated with the town’s efforts to revitalize what was once a busy working hospital. Officials have drafted leases welcoming tenants to the 180-plus-acre parklike grounds, and have started renovation work at Bridgeport Hall to house the municipal and education board offices.

Hawley Realty will be renovating space at Newtown Hall where Danbury Hospital will expand services. Another potential lease is also in negotiations, Mr Geckle said Tuesday, but he will not have a more definitive answer for several weeks.

What Is In The Lease?

Lease terms include provision that the town will have in place up-to-date phone, electric, and gas lines. Temporary utility poles are in, and groundwork to bury new gas line is underway. Mr Hurley and Mr Grogins, among others, do not see any immediate blocks to completing work.

If the Yankee Gas line is not completed for the Newtown Youth Academy, especially, which has an anticipated opening date of November 1, Mr Hurley noted plans for an aboveground propane tank.

While work continues, former first selectman and current Board of Selectmen member Herb Rosenthal is angered by what he said are “scurrilous” remarks made against work at Fairfield Hills recently. He believes that allegations against Fairfield Hills, as noted by Mr Grogins, are “more of a continuation of lies put out over time.” The work the town has done since acquiring the sprawling campus and brick building vacated by the state in 1996 has all been done “in accordance with careful planning with the DEP,” stressed Mr Rosenthal. He also mentioned a variety of environmental consultants and contractors regularly involved with work. He said, “We followed all guidelines carefully.”

Newtown Youth Academy

Work is going more slowly than architect Phil Clark with Claris Construction would like to see. Referring to a parking plan that entails another building’s demolition, he said, “Unfortunately, we’re not going to have it done in time for the opening.”

As he and others work to complete private developer Peter D’Amico’s Newtown Youth Academy, the town — which normally would have been responsible for providing temporary, then permanent parking — renegotiated the building’s lease agreement and essentially turned over work to complete a permanent parking scheme to the private developer.

Standing directly in the way of where parking will go is Greenwich House, slated for demolition, which is also now under the private developer’s purview. Speaking of the meeting last week that found state officials visiting the Fairfield Hills grounds, Mr Clark answered yet another question that has been on officials’ minds. Did the DEP’s and health official’s visit affect work?

“Not really,” he said. “They did want to set up a procedure, a little more reporting,” he said. With varying test results for asbestos, the state asked for more tests, he said. Adding time delays to the demolitions, Mr Clark explained that the state wanted more tests “before making decisions.”

Had the state stopped work?

“No,” Mr Clark stressed. “We’re moving along, but not as fast as I would like.”