Portuguese Cultural Center Removes HVAC From Roof

The heating and air conditioning units installed on the roof of the Portuguese Cultural Center were removed Thursday by a crane, and customers who had booked events at the center are now finding other places to book their events around the city.

“Most people will be understanding about the problem they’re working through,” said Stephen Bull, president of the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce. “I hope people will rally around the Portuguese Cultural Center.”

The Matrix, the Amber Room and other event destinations have bookings that were formerly booked at the Portuguese Cultural Center.

The Portuguese Cultural Center closed on Feb. 10 because a beam supporting the roof appears to have cracked. The center hired an engineer to investigate the problem. At first glance, it appears that the snow and ice build-up on January may have caused the problem, but until the investigation is complete, no one will commit to that explanation. The center opened in 1998, so it is only 12 years old going on 13.

Workers will remove the hung ceiling over the ballroom floor Thursday or Friday so they can see the roof and beam, which is called a truss, to determine what happened. The truss that failed runs for 80 feet down the center of the ballroom, and a crack appeared in the beam a week ago.

City Building Official Leo Null and center President Tony Fernandes closed the center until the problem can be investigated and fixed. Fernandes said the club canceled all its bookings through September.

That means customers and club members who were planning something as simple as a family diner or as complex as a wedding had to find somewhere else for their event.

“It’s a terrible thing that happened here,” said Tom Saadi, who belongs to the club with his entire extended family. “I really feel for the community. It’s an unexpected financial impact, but more importantly, it’s a human impact.”
Saadi said members of his family had planned a dinner at the center on Feb. 12, and they had to move it.

“The Portuguese community will come together to work their way through it,” Saadi said.

It’s a community asset, and people from all cultures are drawn to the Portuguese Cultural Center, said Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton.

“It’s a wonderful asset to the city,” Boughton said. “It’s just awful what they’re going through. There is no doubt in my mind they will get it repaired and get back open.”