Diana Stricker photo.
In a surprising development, Branford’s Board of Education voted unanimously to take the first step to move the central administration offices, now located at 1111 Main St., to Walsh Intermediate School. The proposed move wasn’t on the agenda for Wednesday night’s meeting, but was added by board chairman Frank Carrano at the beginning of the session.
The motion approved Wednesday empowers the superintendent to seek proposals for an architect for the design phase of the project. If the project moves forward, the board’s current location, a prize piece of real estate across from the town green, will be returned to the town.
The vote followed a report by Superintendent Hamlet Hernandez, who outlined his investigation into potential relocation sites.
“We’re at step one of the process. It’s very exciting,” Carrano said after the vote. “We are taking the initiative to move our offices into an existing building. …It’s going to be cost-saving for the town and we’re giving the (Main Street building) back to the town.”
The Board of Education (BOE) central offices were part of a controversial three-way building swap plan that died after months of heated discussion last year. The swap proposal involved moving the BOE central offices to the Canoe Brook Senior Center on Cherry Hill Road; and renovating a building at 175 N. Main St. to become a new senior center. The North Main building, which is owned by the Giordano family’s Queach Corp., would have been swapped for the BOE building at 1111 Main St., which is owned by the town. Click here to read a news analysis on the topic.
Last year, the Planning and Zoning Commission gave the Giordano family the go-ahead for retail use of the Board of Education building. At the time, the family said the project could lead to new retail and in-town residential development of the adjacent property they already own. But the plan died.
In an interview this morning, First Selectman Unk DaRos commended the superintendent and the BOE: “I think it is very good on their part in the sense that they are leaving a building that cannot fulfill its mission for one that will. The superintendent is moving into a working school, he has a presence there. It’s a good move. I am quite excited.”
If the current BOE plan gets funding, DaRos will have the opportunity to develop the corner building on the Green, once the old post office.
“Once the board turns it (the building) over to the town we would put it up for sale,” he said, suggesting one way to fund the BOE’s plan. “It is a landmark building. I would recommend that it be refurbished, with a deed restriction, keeping its historical designation. It would be an important part of economic development for the center of town.
“I support this one hundred percent,” he said.
The BOE asked Hernandez in August to look at properties owned by the school district for possible relocation of the offices. Hernandez and Carrano have said on several occasions that the current site at the corner of Main and Montowese streets is too cramped and needs renovations.
Hernandez told the board last night that he looked at the former Branford Hills School, Pine Orchard School, the high school and intermediate school. He said Branford Hills is not centrally located and needs extensive renovations and a new roof. He ruled out Pine Orchard because the building is currently being used for an early education program and would also need renovations. And he said there is simply no room at the high school.
Hernandez said he found a seemingly ideal space at Walsh Intermediate School that was once used for industrial arts classes but is now empty. The area in question is located behind the school’s library, to the rear of the building.
“It’s in a school, where I firmly believe central administration should be,” Hernandez told the board. “The space would meet our needs.”
Twelve to 15 administrators would be involved in the move.
Hernandez said there would be some renovation costs, including adding bathrooms and possibly a separate entrance for the office suite.
He said the first step is to look into hiring an architect to develop designs and cost estimates, and then to seek funding. If all goes well, the move could be accomplished in a year.
Several of the board members asked brief questions and offered comments. “I think it’s a great idea,” said Michael Krause. “We’re being pro-active instead of being told.”
If the move fails, Hernandez said, then the town will need to consider renovating the current site at 1111 Main St. “There are very, very poor conditions there,” he said.
Following the meeting, Carrano told the Eagle that the proposal will be taken to the town boards, including the Board of Finance, to seek funding. “The cost of this should be borne by the town,” he said, because the school district does not have money for the venture.
“I’m hoping the town will see this as a very desirable initiative on our part.”
Diana Stricker photo.
Prior to the meeting, three incumbent members of the board who were re-elected to office were sworn in: John Prins, Judith Hotz and David Squires. Mary Grande, an incumbent who was elected to a two-year term, was absent Wednesday and will be sworn in at a later date.
Later in the meeting, the board re-elected Carrano as chair of the BOE.
Marcia Chambers contributed reporting.
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