Are the Buildings at Fairfield Hills Worth Keeping?

Members of the Fairfield Hills Master Plan Review Committee are of mixed opinions about the state of the former mental health institution campus after recently touring two buildings.

"I enjoyed it – it was a bit spooky in certain areas," Gary Steele said during a committee meeting Thursday night at the Municipal Center. "I thought what great resources that we have."

The review committee took a tour of the campus last week in anticipation of developing recommendations on the future of Fairfield Hills. The campus, which was once a bustling state-run mental health institution with a population of about 5,000 at its peak, has been the subject of much debate since property was purchased by Newtown in 2004.

While a master plan was developed for the property, that document and the process that resulted in it has been shrouded in controversy, leading the selectmen to assemble this latest committee to take a second look.

The tour, which allowed the group to take a peek inside Cochran and Canaan houses, gave committee members a sense of what once had been a busy facility prior to its closure in 1995. Many people who worked at the campus during its peak years often described it as a mini-city.

"When I thought about how much it would cost to destroy them, to bulldoze them and try to build something else up for future use, in my mind I was going, 'maybe it would be worth it to try to (keep the buildings intact),'" Steele said, adding there were many elements of "architectural excellence."

But others said the group should look at the issue from a financial standpoint. While the buildings might instill a sense of nostalgia, they might not be viable for future use, some members said.

"I just had a hard time trying to figure out what they would be good for other than what they were built for, and we don't want that again," committee member Ben Roberts. "I think people have fantasies about what can and can't happen."

Another member, Paul Lundquist said he took a practical view of the buildings, particularly given the economy.

"I heard somebody say 'You can't just build buildings like that today,' and the response in my head was 'nor would you want to,'" he said. "We're challenging ourselves in blind faith that these are beautiful buildings that someone will have a use for."

Still, other committee members said people with knowledge of structural integrity said the buildings possessed foundations worth preserving.

In particular, Cochran House, once used as a hospital, has drawn interest recently.

"The building itself is in excellent condition," said committee member Bob Maurer, a real estate agent in town.

In fact, a developer  has expressed an interest in transforming Cochran House into an apartment building with 150 to 160 units, though under the current master plan, residences are prohibited. Housing is among the themes the review committee has said it will investigate as part of its work.

Maurer also said Canaan House, which at one time was where the town and Board of Education kept offices, impressed him.

"Canaan had a lot of open areas," he said. "It was more open than I thought it would be."

But committee member Michael Mossbarger said the group should remember that its top priority is to gauge public opinion and gain consensus among residents about the property's future.

"We're getting ahead of ourselves," he said. "Personally I don't know if we can use the buildings or not. Do we know if the community wants that?"

Mossbarger said he wasn't particularly impressed with the state of the buildings, but he wanted to concentrate on the bigger picture before delving into the specifics.

"What are we going to do with the property as a whole before we jump to it?" he asked.

The group intends to bring leaders from the Fairfield Hills Authority, which is in charge of overseeing the property, and Department of Public Works for a question and answer session soon.