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Fix Two Things at Once

A top priority of residents attending the December meeting about conservation and future development for Branford was to keep the character of the town—a historic, coastal New England town. Residents love the historic homes, churches, and other buildings that help make up Branford. With this in mind, the architectural style of the proposed middle school should fit that character. The new design is three stories tall (four if including the mechanicals on the roof) and looks to fit an urban environment, not Branford.

The school’s in a residential area with one- and two-story homes and some historic homes immediately in front of and behind it. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Hamlet Hernandez stated that there’s precedence for a three-story school building, namely the Sliney School. Originally built as the high school in 1929, the building isn’t three stories in the front, only toward the back where the land slopes away. At the time it was built, it was within two blocks of two very large factory buildings, MIF and Atlantic Wire. To this day, the Sliney School’s classic look is still fitting in Branford after almost 90 years.

The Board of Education wants to move to the first floor of the middle school. Branford taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay for an additional story to house the board when there are other town spaces available, such as the current senior center. The $88 million this school will cost is a much higher cost than similar schools built recently in nearby towns. Why?

Branford’s mill rate is now higher than Madison’s. We have an opportunity to fix two things at once. Redesign plans for the middle school, building a two-story structure fitting the character of a small, coastal, New England town, and by doing so, spend many millions less in the process.

Jacy Hughes

Branford