FAIRFIELD HILLS MASTER PLAN REVIEW COMMITTEE
COMMERCIAL
SUBCOMMITTEE
PREAMBLE: We felt our charge as a review committee was to look at the history of commercial development at FH from the beginning, draw some conclusions from the history, and what would help to have FH develop more commercially in today’s environment/economy. We did not dwell on the advantage or disadvantage of FH compared to other Newtown commercial areas because its uniqueness, restrictions, etc (it is just too different). We did take into consideration (with concern) the required approximate 16 million (now) price to demolish the buildings, the continued deterioration of the buildings each year, the fact that the Town has no money, and
the current economy may not be conducive to commercial development.
HISTORY: The original master plan and the amended plan (2005) both included commercial or economic development. Planning & Zoning has specified the only permitted uses for Fairfield Hills. The use of a major developer in the beginning was the means to develop the campus. Despite several plans from many developers, the Town was not able to agree upon one developer.
Since then many attempts to date were made with Town and Town Committee personnel working with single entrepreneur type developers to establish on campus restaurants, veterinary hospital, medical building, and other uses. None of these commercial attempts proved to be financially feasible in order to continue with construction.
Currently the only commercial development has been the Town Municipal Building and Newtown Youth Academy.
CONCLUSION: The simple conclusion is return to the use of a major developer to take on the whole project of Fairfield Hills economic development. Town employees/committees should not take on the task of developers. This is something that needs to be left to the professionals. It is obvious that the success of economic development financially to the major developer requires several projects not just one. The hiring of a commercial broker was a good step to find and coordinate development with a major developer. The next step is what can be done to make the commercial development more successful?
HOW CAN COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT BE MORE SUCCESSFUL?
The following are some ideas, based on discussions with those people involved with FH that could be looked at to improve/initiate commercial development:
- Leasing structure (the way we do it) needs to be changed to make development more attractive. Should we lease with option to buy?
- The better way to attract more developers is to sell the building and let them reuse, take down, or semi take down. We do not see any downside to this because P&Z controls the use and the building (like any other town commercial building). Buildings on the campus perimeter may be a better choice for selling.
- If it cost $3,000,000 to demolish, give developer $1,000,000 (with bond). We save $2,000,000 on not demolishing and hopefully pay bond with lease back to Town. We need to become “creative” to make things happen.
- P&Z needs to expand permitted uses or provide what cannot be developed commercially at FH. Perhaps a more flexible approach like what P&Z has done with Design Districts.
- Allow housing. This item will be covered in the Housing Subcommittee.
While these items may be aggressive our fear is 5 years from now at the next review committee we will be talking about the same thing.
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