Town Hopes To Utilize Rockefeller Land Acquired By Greenwich Academy

GREENWICH, CT — The town is hoping to utilize some of the land that was recently acquired from descendents of the Rockefeller family by Greenwich Academy.

The $18.35 million acquisition was officially announced last week. Originally listed for $21.5 million, the 54-acre parcel of land had been in the Rockefeller family for over 100 years, and it was the family's last large land holding in Greenwich.

The property is in central Greenwich and bordered by Glenville, Riversville, and Pecksland Roads. It's just seven minutes from GA's main campus on North Maple Avenue.

In a community forum held earlier this week in Glenville, First Selectman Fred Camillo said he met with Margaret Hazlett, the new head of school at GA, to discuss the property.

GA said last week the acquisition "positions the school to create more enriching educational opportunities and programs and will open up a wide range of opportunities for its students and families —athletic facilities, leadership development programs, sustainability initiatives, and faculty housing, to name a few."

According to Camillo, about 15 acres of the property are actually developable.

"I walked [the property] finally, and there are some trails there. I asked [GA] if they would allow the public, when they're done, to give us some trails there because up until now, you haven't been able to use them," Camillo said. "If they do any sports facility there, would they allow the town to get involved with it? The answer was yes."

An athletic facility could be used as an ice rink in the winter and a fieldhouse in the summer, Camillo said.

"Margaret was very, very receptive. They're not promising anything because they don't know what they're doing yet, but if they go that route, absolutely, they want to work with the town," Camillo said. "The majority of that property won't be developed, which is great. I'm pretty confident we'll get some trails in there for everybody to walk."

In the coming months, the school and Hazlett will engage the community in a strategic and collaborative visioning process for the new land.