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Newington council weighs state offer for 10-acre parcel at Cedar Crest hospital site; wants more study
Summary
Town staff told the council the state has offered Newington a non-negotiable right of first refusal on about 10 acres of the former Cedar Crest Hospital for $1 million. Councilors raised questions about building conditions, environmental remediation, quarry blasting, peregrine falcon habitat, zoning limits and public access and asked for further inspection, mapping and legislative outreach before deciding.
Town staff told the Newington Town Council on Sept. 24 that the state has offered the town a right of first refusal on roughly 10 acres of the former Cedar Crest Hospital parcel at 525 Russell Road, with an asking price of $1 million. The offer is an initial, non-negotiable stage of the sale process; if the town declines, the state would proceed to an open RFP process.
Paul Dixon and Town Manager Jonathan explained the parcel is part of a larger 53.5-acre state holding. Staff flagged several unknowns: the exact 10-acre boundary is not yet surveyed, there is no Phase I environmental assessment available, the interior condition of five cottages on the parcel is uncertain, and an apparent conservation easement may run along the parcel's northern and western edges. Staff also noted the site sits adjacent to active quarry operations.
Councilors asked whether the town can inspect structures and perform environmental testing before indicating interest. Town staff said inspections are typically limited absent an agreement of sale but said staff would press the state for access given Newington currently holds the exclusive right of first refusal. Councilors also questioned the potential total cost: several warned that remediation and abatement (asbestos, underground tanks or other Brownfield issues) could make the $1 million purchase much more expensive to make safe or reuse.
Zoning constraints were a recurring concern: the property is currently zoned Public Land, which limits post-sale development to uses that serve the public interest unless rezoning is pursued. Staff pointed out that special permits in that zone could allow utilities or public-service uses, and that wireless communication towers are permitted by special permit. Councilors requested clarity on what the state might do with the remaining 43 acres and whether the town's existing open-space holdings would connect to this parcel.
Environmental considerations included a noted presence of peregrine falcons and other species of concern in the area; Dixon said projects in the mapped NDB quadrangle are routed to state review for species impact and erosion-control mitigation. Councilors also raised public-access and emergency-access questions related to Russell Road, which largely lies within neighboring Weathersfield.
Next steps the council endorsed included asking staff to pursue more information from the state (survey limits, environmental data, permission to inspect buildings), scheduling another site walk-through (inviting the legislative delegation if appropriate), and assessing funding options (state or grant support) before taking a formal position. Town staff reminded the council that the mayor must indicate interest or not for the current right-of-first-refusal period by Oct. 24; that box merely signals interest and does not obligate purchase.
No motion to purchase was made; councilors said they favored pursuing additional due diligence rather than making an immediate commitment.
