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The Board of Selectmen has called for a Special Town Meeting on the potential purchase of 48 Norfield Road, a historic building near Town Hall. If the resolution passes, First Selectman Gayle Weinstein would have authorization to spend as much as $750,000 on the building. Weinstein would have to negotiate the final price with Fairfield County Bank, the current owner.
The town does not currently have a use planned for the property. The building could be set aside for public uses, such as municipal offices or a community center. The town might also rent the property for commercial use or affordable housing, with Weston collecting revenue from the lease.
“For me, the entire reason why we should purchase that property is because its location,” Weinstein said at a joint meeting of the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance last week. “And I think if we don’t purchase it, the town has the potential of losing what would be a very important corner of the town property.”
Weinstein said last week she will have more details on the options at the town meeting Tuesday. She also said she plans to have more definitive costs and financing plans before the vote.
The building is a two-story house on about 1 acre of land. Its interior has been partially modified to accommodate its former tenant, a law office.
The property is designated as part of the Historic District, which limits its uses. The owner can make changes to its interior but would need approval from the Historic District Commission to alter the exterior or demolish the structure.
If the town buys the property, it would also have to complete more than $280,000 in repairs to the building. The estimate includes repairs to the house’s roof, chimney and septic system as well as new paint inside. The figure does not include the cost of electrical work or connection to a well, which would also be needed.
The Special Town Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 25, at 7:30 p.m. It will be located in the Community Room of the Weston Public Library, 56 Norfield Road.
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