Beecher Street Sale a No-Go for Now; Council to Establish Exploratory Committee

For more than two years now, the Beecher Street building that once housed various Southington school programs and administrators for a century has remained vacant. Weeds have overtaken the parking lot and some of the windows and doors have been sealed, an effort to keep curious trespassers out.

It appears, at least for the foreseeable future, the property is going to remain that way.

After a contentious and heated meeting two weeks ago, Republican leadership on the council has announced that the town will create an ad hoc committee to explore the best possible use of the property on Beecher Street.

“It was very clear from the public hearing on Sept. 9 that the Council needed some additional information in order to make a decision on the Beecher Street property,” Southington Town Manager Garry Brumback said Thursday.

“The chairman of the Southington Town Council will announce on Monday the formation of a bipartisan ad hoc Beecher Street Use Subcommittee that will run for a term of six months with a six-month extension if needed,” he said. “The charge of this bipartisan committee is to recommend and analyze all issues of 49 Beecher St, including the building but not limited to remediation, additions, demolition, and sale of the property.”

Members of the town council seemed at odds on Sept. 9 after members of the public turned out in force to oppose plans for a private development that would have provided senior housing.

Nearly 60 people, many from the areas around the former Beecher Street School and Board of Education offices, came out Monday evening for a public hearing into sale of the property. Discussions became heated and highly contentious as residents adamantly rejected the idea of a $220,000 sale of the property to a private organization for development of affordable senior housing units.

“For a century years now, that red brick building has been an integral part of the neighborhood. The area around the building remains as close-knit, small community,” said Joseph Miceli, resident of Beecher St. “This threatens to change the fundamental characteristic of the neighborhood and devalue our properties.”

In the end, the message was heard and the council voted unanimously to table any further discussion on the sale of the property.

With the new committee, which will be formed with four voting members that have not yet been selected, further research and public input sessions will take place.

No appointments will take place Monday, officials said, but the committee will eventually be comprised of two members of the council, one from each party, as well as a Democrat and Republican from the Southington Planning and Zoning Commission.

No official timetable has been set for when appointments could be made.

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