Community Corner

Committee to Decide the Fate of the Gura Building

The Town Council on Monday appointed an ad hoc committee to determine the best way to address Gura Building issues.


The problems at the Gura building have been well documented.

The has asbestos that must be removed, exposed wiring and other infrastructure problems that need to be addressed. So when town departments are removed from the building in Spring 2012, what will the fate of the location be?

The Town Council on Monday evening took the first steps to solving the problem, appointing an ad hoc committee to research possibilities and costs for the building, which will either be demolished, sold for commercial use or given to a local arts council for development of various arts programs and opportunities for local residents.

“What to do with that building, it’s still a white elephant in the room,” said Council Chairman Edward Pocock III. “The council’s goal is to make sure everything looked at objectively, that’s the only thing I want to see done, true and honest analysis. We have a lot of people here be dependent on analysis and that committee.”


Pocock said if things go according to plan, the departments will be able to move into their new home at the North Center facility in May 2012.

Meanwhile, the committee would have some tough challenges ahead as they look at the best plan for renovation or demolition, Pocock said, but he believes members are up to the task.

The committee will be led by Councilwoman Dawn Miceli and vice chaired by Councilwoman Stephanie Urillo. Paul Chaplinsky, Mike Riccio and John Myers will all serve on the committee as well, along with ex-officio member Mark Sciota.

No date has been set for the committee’s first meeting, Miceli said, but the group will meet in January and hope to bring a recommendation to the Council by April.

The building has been the subject of discussions already, both in previous efforts to address space and safety needs at Town Hall and earlier this year when several residents came before the Town Council on behalf of the Southington Arts Council, Inc. to ask that the town consider leasing the building to the arts council for development of an arts center.

Miceli said that remains a popular solution among town residents, many who have expressed that they do not want to see the town simply raise the building.

“There is a group that for several years now, led by Mary DeCroce and the YMCA staff, have been looking for places to enhance programming across all the arts,” Miceli said. “It’s an exciting option. I think been a lot of misinformation regarding this building and a public groundswell so far to not raise that building. After community arts center came out, I’ve heard a lot of questions regarding it.”

Miceli said the town has also looked at the building as an option for sale, provided the next owner used the space appropriately to provide commercial opportunities. Changes would also include improvements to the parking lot behind the building.

The committee will begin looking at options from square one, but have a lot of help in the legwork already done by the arts council. She said they would review every option and associated costs in public meetings before coming to a decision.


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