New Location for Northwest Greenwich Fire Station Identified

By Patch Staff

GREENWICH, CT - The creation of a northwest Greenwich fire station moved another step forward on Friday when Board of Selectmen reviewed a request for municipal improvement for the project.

The selectmen are considering approval of the purchase of a 4.27-acre parcel at 1247 King St. from the Fairview Country Club. The land is across the road from the Brunswick School athletic fields.

First Selectman Peter Tesei and Greenwich Fire Department officials — with much vocal support of residents, have been seeking to build a station in the northwest corner of town for more than a decade in an effort to reduce response time to fire calls.

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The new station would house separate quarters for firefighters and for Greenwich Emergency Medical Service's Medic 4 unit that is assigned to the area.

In 2004, the town spent $1.2 million for land at 1327 King St., just north of the new proposed location. However, tests and analyses after the purchase proved the site, next door to the town-owned Griffith E. Harris Golf Club, was too small to accommodate the facility. In the interim, the town has erected modular housing unit where Medic 4 is currently located.

The selectmen are expected to vote on the municipal improvement (MI) status at its March 24 meeting. If approved, the project would then be submitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review and approval of the MI. The town also will submit to Planning and Zoning, a plan on behalf of Fairview Country Club to subdivide the club property to ensure the sale to the town.

The town has negotiated to pay $2 million for the property and plans to move forward with the purchase once funds for the 2016-17 fiscal year are approved by the Board of Estimate and Taxation at its March 21 meeting. The appropriation would then need approval by the Representative Town Meeting which is scheduled to vote on the proposed budget on May 9.

• Related story: Op-Ed: Greenwich 1st Selectman, Fire Chief Advocate for Increased Staffing

Photo credit: Barbara Heins.