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04/25/2017 12:00 AMThe long-uncertain future of the former high school is becoming clearer. Town officials are working to get the old high school at 200 Tyler Street back up and running, and they plan to make it a mixed-use building that can benefit residents and organizations in town.
“We want it to be the showcase building for the town,” said Director of Economic Development Sal Brancati.
The town recently announced that it is working with Landmark Architects to design the rear portion of the building, which will be used asa community center. Winn Development is working on turning the front portion of the building into senior housing.
Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr., said that the current plans for the building will satisfy both the needs for more senior housing in town, as well as resident requests to have a portion of the building used for public activities, events, and meetings.
After recent discussions with Winn Development, Brancati said that the developer agreed to allow the town to retain the auditorium. Brancati said that a potential plan for the auditorium is to divide it, using part of it as new council chambers for the Town Council and other town committee meetings.
Brancati said that the other portion of the auditorium could be used to show movies for kids, and potentially as a home for the Arts Commission, which holds two to three plays per year. Other plans include renovating the gymnasium and pool to use for town recreational activities and programs.
To address potential parking issues, Brancati said that Winn has proposed to knock down the 1973 wing of the building, which he said has no historical value, and turn that into a parking lot for the senior housing portion. The town would retain the rear parking for community activities, and create a new entrance for the building as well at that end.
“The mayor has now been able to accomplish the community use and the housing use,” said Brancati.
Brancati said that the town will renovate its portion of the building to mirror what Winn is doing in the front to keep the look the same. He is also optimistic that some town organizations would be able to use the town’s portion of the building.
He said that the Teen Center and the historical society previously occupied space in the old high school, and they can be brought back once renovations are complete, and that the Parks & Recreation Department might also want to take up space in the building because of renovations to the gym and pool.
The senior housing portion was done because there is a growing need for it in town. Brancati said there are around 10,000 people in town that are 55 or over, and there are only 505 housing units that are for 55 and over residents in town currently.
“We already have people on a waiting list to get in,” said Maturo.
The main reason the town wants to see the building come back online is that it has been vacant for almost 20 years, and Brancati said it costs the town on average about $273,000 per year just to maintain it.
“That was one of the things that motivated the mayor to decide something has to be done with that building,” said Brancati.
Winn Development is currently waiting for a decision from the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority on whether or not they will be awarded a nine percent tax credit deal to fund the project.
Once that decision is made, the town will develop a budget for the renovations of their portion of the building.
“If that budget is something we can live with and something that we can bond for, then that portion will go forward as well,” said Brancati.
Maturo said it is a great project for the community in a great location, and is hopeful to hear those decisions soon.
“I’m waiting just like everyone else,” Maturo said, “The sooner the better.”