October 20, 2011

STATE MONEY PLEDGED FOR NEW DOWNTOWN DANBURY HEALTH CENTER

Dirk Perrefort, Danbury News-Times

DANBURY -- State Rep. Joseph Taborsak announced Thursday that $4 million in state bonding money has been secured for the construction of a new community health center on Main Street.

State Rep. Joe Taborsak, at podium, speaks during a press conference at the old police station on Main Street in Danbury on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011. Rep. Taborsak announced a $4 million state grant for what will become the new state-of-the-art Community Health Center of Greater Danbury. Photo: Jason Rearick

The money will "significantly accelerate" the construction of the center, according to James Maloney, the president and chief executive officer of the Connecticut Institute for Communities that operates the center now on North Street.

Construction of the downtown center, which is part of the redevelopment of the former police station property along southern Main Street, can start as early as next spring.

That is well in advance of the three-year conservative estimate Maloney said was set previously for the project to commence.

City officials sold the former police station property in the summer to Union Savings Bank for $2.3 million.

The bank in turn immediately sold a portion of the property to the institute for $1.1 million while retaining a portion of the land for a new branch office on Main Street.

The project also includes at least 48 units of housing for the elderly planned by the institute on the property behind the new center.

Taborsak, D-Danbury, said the $4 million was placed on the state's Bond Commission agenda for its meeting Friday with the assistance of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and House Speaker Chris Donovan.

"This bonding couldn't have come at a better time," said Taborsak, adding that the money reflects a significant investment by the state in the downtown's future. "The construction of the new community health center will put people back to work."

The lawmaker, who made the announcement during a press conference in front of the former police station building Thursday, estimated that the project will create 60 "good-paying construction jobs" during the building phase of the project and that 75 new health care employees will be required to staff the center when it's completed.

Maloney said the money will pay for the construction of the core of the building and that an additional $5 million will be needed to complete the center, which was designed to be built in stages as funding becomes available.

Former Danbury Mayor Gene Eriquez, who said he has been involved in the redevelopment effort of the property since the beginning, said the project will not only provide more health care services for area residents, but also will "help to spur the downtown economy further enhancing revitalization efforts of CityCenter."

Dr. Thomas Draper, the medical director for the center, said that besides offering services to low-income residents and those without insurance, the center also provides a training ground for primary care physicians.

"I am enormously pleased to be here today," he said. "This money will help to provide a remarkable health care center located right on Main Street."