November 8, 2007

Reps OK Transfer of Old Town Hall

(Includes report on Mill River Collaborative contract with the City)

By Donna Porstner
Staff Writer
The Advocate

STAMFORD - The Board of Representatives last night put the future of Old Town Hall and Mill River Park into the hands of separate organizations charged with their care and maintenance.

Members passed a resolution authorizing the mayor to transfer ownership of the former city hall building to the Old Town Hall Redevelopment Agency, a limited liability corporation that will sell tax credits to finance its restoration.

The group, though comprised largely of city officials, is a separate legal entity. Its members are expected to raise $6 million toward the $16 million needed to renovate the 100-year-old Beaux Arts-style building at 175 Atlantic St.

Board members approved the transfer with the understanding that the agency will lease most of the building usable space to National Realty and Development Corp.'s equity arm, which owns the Lord & Taylor and Linens & Things retail chains.

While city legislators expressed concerns about giving a public building to a private company for 50 years - and had reservations about setting aside 74 parking spaces in the Bell Street garage for the tenant's employees - members voted overwhelmingly in favor of the deal.

It passed 32-2, with city Reps. Terry Adams, D-3, and James Diamond, D-11, opposed.

Like Diamond, city Rep. Gregory Lodato, R-20, said he agreed the lease is too long, but said it's not enough to kill the deal. Should the tenant walk away and the building remain vacant, it might decay even further and have to be torn down, he said. Lodato represents North Stamford, but his family owns real estate downtown.

The city landmark has been empty for about 20 years.

"We're preserving a great building - and not just preserving it, but putting it into use again," Lodato said.

City Rep. Richard Lyons, D-1, who represents Shippan, told board members not to get caught up in details that might derail a "decades long odyssey" to restore the building.

City Rep. Annie Summerville, D-6, who also represents downtown, said the city could not get a better deal. The city's share of the $16 million project is expected to be $2 million.

"This is the best bang for your buck," she said.

In a separate vote, members approved a management agreement with the Mill River Collaborative to take over the day-to-day operations of Mill River Park.

It's now the only city park not under the jurisdiction of the Parks and Recreation Commission.

The management agreement requires the city and the collaborative, a private, nonprofit organization, to each contribute at least $200,000 a year toward maintenance costs.

"This is a partnership between the city and the Mill River Collaborative," said Rep. Harry Day, R-13, who is on the board of directors. "It's the goal of the collaborative -which has already raised over $1 million - to raise up to $20 million for the development and improvement of the park."

Plans call for a carousel, fountain and ice rink.

The board, in a separate 32-2 vote, amended a city ordinance to allow the Mill River Collaborative to name park areas, structures and facilities as a fundraising tool. The Board of Representatives has 60 days to reject proposed names. City Reps. Patrick White, D-1, and Philip Berns, D-16, were opposed.

Under the agreement, the collaborative may solicit donations, host fundraising events in the park, open concession stands and charge admission for park programs to generate revenue.

The arrangement is modeled after New York City's relationship with the Central Park Conservancy.