Abatement and Demolition Work to Begin at the Former Middle School Site
3.1.2018
Residents on Newhall and Morse Streets and around the Newhall area of Highwood will see some activity begin over the next few weeks. The abatement and demolition of the former Auditorium at the former Michael J Whalen will begin in mid-March by Wiese Construction, who was the low bidder for the project. The Hamden Economic Development Corporation secured a grant from the CT. Department of Economic and Community Development last spring of 2017. HEDC will administer the grant and manage the project. No Town funds will be required for the project.
Through the years since the Town moved to the new Middle School, the auditorium building has deteriorated and is now severely blighted and it contains a great deal of asbestos material. “This building has become a magnet for graffiti and kids who go in to horse around. It has become a danger to the community”, stated Dale Kroop, project manager for the project and the Executive Director of HEDC.
The former middle school site is under the control of the Mutual Housing Association, the Preferred Developer for a mixed use (housing and community space) project expected to begin over the next few years. In the approved plan for the Developer, the auditorium was to be demolished.
“I am very pleased that substantial remediation progress is underway at the former Middle School property. The property has remained in disrepair for far too long, and with the generous assistance of the CT DECD and the HEDC we are finally moving in the right direction. I look forward to the project’s continuance, and towards the day when the site has been entirely remediated. I thank the State of Connecticut and Economic Director Kroop for their dedicated work in ensuring this property is effectively rehabilitated.”
