East Haven Announces Town-Wide School Re-Use Initiative; 200 Tyler Street Disposition Anchors Town Plan

Following on his promise to put the vacant 200 Tyler Street property back on the tax rolls and in light of the recent turnover of Hayes and D.C. Moore Schools to the Town by the East Haven Board of Education, Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr. has announced a "town-wide school re-use initiative" aimed at putting all three properties back into productive use in the imminent future.

Maturo explained, "Since November of 2015, we've taken meaningful steps to put 200 Tyler Street back on the tax rolls.  We've now been saddled with two more vacant Board of Education properties.  My town-wide school re-use initiative stands to put all three properties back to use, with two of the properties going back on the grand list as soon as possible."

According to the Town, the proposal will enable the Town to shed the expenses associated with the ongoing maintenance of these newly vacant buildings and also help prevent any of them sitting and languishing for any extended period of time.

Maturo continued, "Throughout the summer, the Town's Economic Developer, Sal Brancati and Town Attorney Joseph Zullo negotiated with a prospective developer to purchase the 200 Tyler Street Property.  However, when the Town received notification from the Board of Education of its intent to turn Hayes and D.C. Moore Schools over to the Town, I immediately formed and began chairing an internal staff committee, which included bipartisan input from various Town Council members, to evaluate the highest and best uses for these newly vacant properties."

After successive meetings, the committee developed a comprehensive plan which will now be presented to the public and to the Town's various boards in the coming months.

The plan, according to Maturo, calls for:

  • The disposition of 200 Tyler Street to a chosen developer beginning with the  presentation of a preliminary development agreement, preliminary renderings, and a proposed statement of use to the Town Council within the next three (3) weeks;
  • The solicitation of offers to purchase D.C. Moore School from prospective developers and the eventual sale of the property;
  • The solicitation of offers to purchase the "Reggie Hatch" Community Center in Foxon on Route 80 and the eventual sale of the property;
  • The relocation of the Teen Center, Historical Society, Arts Commission, Rotary, and Foxon Recreation League to the former Hayes School and the undertaking of various capital improvements to the school to accommodate these groups.

Maturo explained, "My committee's plan for these buildings, if approved, fits nicely with the disposition plan for 200 Tyler Street and stands to generate significant operational savings and new revenue for the Town.  At the same time, the proposal provides fitting, permanent homes for a host of cherished Town organizations."

Town Attorney Joseph Zullo explained, "This process is in its infancy.  We have a number of preliminary approvals, including 8-24 referrals from the Planning and Zoning Commission, that we intend to seek in the coming months.  During that same time, we will begin soliciting purchase offers from prospective developers.  Our goal is to be able to head to the Town Council in early 2017 to present definitive plans for the public and the Council to review and comment on."

While the Town seeks preliminary approvals for the proposed re-uses of these new buildings, Zullo explained that the Town will continue to push forward with finalizing the sale of the 200 Tyler Street property. Zullo continued, "We're going to present the development agreement to the Council and the public in the coming weeks so that everyone understands the proposed development terms and the anticipated sale timeline.  As with each prior step in this process, these hearings will be collaborative and transparent and members of the public will have the opportunity to voice their opinions."

Zullo noted, "However, this is not the final step.  This agreement, if approved, will grant site control to the proposed developer to allow it a period of time to secure financing, conduct inspections, and determine the feasibility of its proposal.  The final approval ordinance to sell the property will still have to come back before the Town Council and the public in the coming months."

Maturo concluded, "I am thrilled that we continue to make progress with the disposition of the 200 Tyler Street property and that we have a firm, thoughtful re-use proposal for the newly vacant Board of Education buildings.  I encourage our residents to participate in the upcoming hearings on these exciting issues as they will have an impact on our community for generations to come."