Are NSH's days numbered?

[Megster]

Preston agrees on demolition/abatement contract on former Norwich Hospital property

By PAUL PETRONE
Norwich Bulletin
Posted Aug 29, 2010 @ 06:02 PM
Preston, Conn. —

The Preston Redevelopment Agency Saturday approved a contract with Manafort Brothers, Inc for abatement, demolition, salvage and site access on the former Norwich Hospital property.
Committee chairman Kent Borner declined to comment on the terms of the contract, as the actual document was not yet completed by Manafort and PRA lawyers. That should be finalized Monday, Borner said.
The demolition costs would likely be minimal, provided Manafort is allowed to keep all salvaged building materials, First Selectman Robert Congdon said. Environmental abatement however would likely costs as much as $300,000 an acre, although most of that money could come through grants, Congdon said.
The PRA voted to terminate the services of Day and Zimmerman Security last Wednesday, which provides security for the property. Manafort Brothers, Inc would likely control all access once demolition and abatement begins.
Copyright 2010 Norwich Bulletin. Some rights reserved

[Megster]

Norwich Hospital demolition contract finalized


By PAUL PETRONE
Norwich Bulletin
Posted Sep 03, 2010 @ 12:25 AM
Preston, Conn. —

The Preston Redevelopment Agency on Thursday night unanimously approved a contract with Manafort Brothers Inc. for abatement, demolition and salvage work at the former Norwich Hospital property.

The vote came a night after the agency rejected a similar contract from the company. Manafort executives Jon and Justin Manafort met behind closed doors Thursday with the agency and worked out the contract issues.

"We had an opportunity to hear certain things spelled out clearly," agency member Sandy Ewing said. "This agency has every confidence that Manafort can do everything they said they would do."

The final deal guarantees four buildings on the east side of the property will be demolished at no cost to the town. If Manafort collects more profit on the demolition than expected, Preston will be refunded the difference.

After that, the remaining 51 buildings will be assessed one by one. If Manafort makes more money than expected on a building, the town will be credited, but if the building costs more than expected to demolish, Preston will pay the difference.

Originally, agency members had hoped the Plainville-based Manafort  would guarantee to demolish all buildings at no cost to the town. Still, First Selectman Robert Congdon called the contact approved Thursday "very strong."

"Manafort is not a nonprofit company, we don't expect them to work for nothing," he said. "That said, we both have every intention to make this cost-neutral to the town."

Preston still must pay for environmental abatement of the property, a process that can cost as much as $400,000 an acre, Congdon said. Those expenses will be paid for mainly through grants, he said.

A $600,000 grant from the federal government, requiring a $150,000 match by the town, bringing the total to $750,000, is expected to be finalized soon, Congdon said. Once that happens and all necessary protocol is complete, demolition will begin immediately, Jon Manafort said.

"We appreciate the opportunity," Justin Manafort said. "We are excited about the possibility of getting work started on this site."

Both sides complimented the deal and shook hands all around.

The meeting's tone was in sharp contrast to Wednesday night's, where Chairman Kent Borner stormed out after agency members refused to approve the contract.

"This was the most enjoyable negotiation I have ever entered into," Congdon said Thursday. "We look forward to working with this company."
Copyright 2010 Norwich Bulletin. Some rights reserved

[Megster]

Norwich Hospital Site Prepped For Development
Campus Closed In 1996

POSTED: 3:39 pm EDT September 28, 2010
UPDATED: 9:02 pm EDT September 28, 2010

PRESTON, Conn. -- Nearly 15 years after the last patient left the Norwich State Hospital, a deal was signed on Tuesday to begin demolition of 30 buildings and hopefully a new future for the town-owned 390 acres.

"We think even though the economy is not great right now, we have an opportunity here," said Sandra Ewing, chairwoman of the Redevelopment Agency.

Backed with state and federal grants, Manafort Brothers, of Plainville, teamed up with the town to prepare the riverfront campus for new corporate tenants.

During the next two years, Manafort will recycle and sell to the public architectural pieces such as windows and handmade wooden doors before demolishing the deteriorated structures.

The initial cleanup costs was estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars.

"Sell-off of the equipment is the first piece, and then the environmental. The town is working on grant money to pay for the environmental work that needs to be done," said Justin Manafort.

In October 1904, the Norwich Hospital for the Insane opened, and it closed in 1996.

In May 2006, Utopia's proposed $1.6 billion theme park was approved by voters but missed key deadlines in November 2006.

Within a week, a mile-long chain fence will be built around the perimeter of the campus to prepare for construction.

reposted from wfsb.com