The new Long Lots Elementary School will look nothing like the old one.
That was one takeaway from Thursday night’s “reveal.”
More than 2 dozen residents jammed a Town Hall conference room, to watch the Planning & Zoning Commission examine the Long Lots School Building Committee’s plan for 127,000-square foot, $100 million structure. It would be built approximately where the current upper baseball diamond lies.
Planning & Zoning Commission and Long Lots School Building Committee members meet at the conference table, as spectators fill the Town Hall room. (Photo/Toni Simonetti)
Among the features: peaked New England-style roofs, a stream near the entrance, and a courtyard.
Three views (from top): from the east (Hyde Lane), south and north.
What’s missing is a site for the new gardens, which would be displaced by a new athletic field. Without that — promised in the previous 8-24 plan — P&Z approval is in doubt.
A site for the gardens could ultimately be found on the Hyde Lane property, which also includes parking. If there is a new garden site elsewhere, a revised 8-24 may be required.
The proposed new school. From the left (south) to the right (north): athletic field, parking, school, lower athletic fields. Hyde Lane is at the bottom (east).
The courtyard (shown above) is envisioned as a place for outdoor classes and other gatherings. It will also provide natural light for the building.
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It’s going to be a lot more than 100 million if Trump’s tariffs are in effect, unless of course, everything is made in America.
That’s a good idea Jack. Maybe you can get FSW Tooker and Superintendent Scarice to deal with American sources for building products this time. Chinese lumber is too expensive, especially since they no longer control the Panama Canal. They’ll need a good tile and grout specialist to handle the locker rooms and also the men’s rooms, boys rooms, ladies rooms, girls rooms and “everything else” rooms. but Richard F will handle that as his way of “giving back.” Better get on it. FSW Tooker is going to be getting pretty busy in the upcoming gubernatorial campaign and after the election it’ll be (What took you) So Long Tooker. We’ll need a police chief but at least the CT State Police will have new boss.
And supply chain delays.
How about we peel off 3 million and upgrade the ONLY high school in town that has bleachers bent and near collapse and disgusting foot and mouth locker rooms, and gross porto bathrooms.
The $100 million will be 20% more – minimum – because that’s how most municipal projects go. Will ultimately cost 3X more than a substantive remodel would have cost. Another major capital expenditure that will ultimately drive up your taxes since the town is incapable of cutting low value expenses (see Wheels2U). I’m sure they’ll be plenty of arguments over details and the blessed garden serving ~100 residents but zero debate over the massive $ required.
Mark
The garden will no longer be a convenient excuse for the interminable delays (as if it ever was the cause of the delays). (Also, the garden was largely self funded, except for the non-potable water).
The Lost Garden controversy should remain top of mind if only as a textbook case of how not to govern. Blatant Lies. Withheld information. Disingenuous and ever-shifting narratives and tactics to divide and conquer. The divisiveness sown is likely to have lasting effects on the community.
There will be no garden but there can be consequences for the malfeasance of the elected/conflicted RTM/Board of Finance committee members.
The PZC was the last hurdle, now allowing the LLSBC to erase the garden from the map. But the financing of this magnificent school has yet to be comprehended by the taxpayer-at-large.
Next stop, Board of Finance. Get out your checkbooks.
Get out your pitchforks
As some of the leaders of the new Long Lots school project have said, this must be a functional school first and foremost. There are already many constraints on the project, including the existing school needs to continue to work during construction, and the costs.
The athletic fields are not a ‘nice-to-have’, they are an important need for the kids in the community. Many kids during school, and yes on the weekends express themselves, and learn about life & leadership via sports.
Gardens can be relocated to a variety of places, and do not require a regulation-size, flat area like a field does. Why do they need to be on this elementary school property?
I can think of a few places around town where there is green space where a garden (or multiple gardens) would work and that could use a beautiful community garden. How about in front of Town Hall? Perhaps a corner of ‘Veteran’s Green’? Near the turn-around of the Senior Center parking lot? Off ‘Old-Cuttings Ln’ at Longshore golf there appears to be a large un-used area? The non-field area near Compo Beach basketball (near trees) – heck throw in a free beach sticker to the gardeners. How about the grassy area on Sherwood Island Connector to left of Transfer Station entrance ?
Why are some folks focused on taking a field from our kids who need it to play, when there are reasonable alternatives that provide the same benefits to the gardeners and the community, while allowing Long Lots Elementary to be the best school it can be for the kids?
I appreciate your views. Neither the garden nor the athletic fields are on school property; they are not school facilities. As for the school project itself, there are plenty of outdoor areas for school children during their school day. It will be a magnificent school (albeit at a cost of >$100 million).
Second, I love your list of potential garden spots. All we need is flat, sunny, accessible and clean. Please suggest these locations to the First Selectwoman!
If I could choose from your list, I would choose Compo, or Longshore. The Sherwood Island Connector land, if flat and sunny, would also be acceptable. As would Veteran’s Green. The area behind the senior center is unsuitable given its severely not-flat terrain.
As a private citizen, I have created a proposal for an alternate site but need to engage other stakeholders about it before going much further.
Let me know how you make out. In the meantime, the athletic fields are separate and apart from the school project and the Board of Ed has no jurisdiction. Plus, these athletic fields are NOT in the school specifications.
So that’s how we got here in the first place. It’s more about the Westport Soccer Association, not education.
I spent over 30 years as an executive search professional placing exceptional leaders with both smaller businesses and fortune 500 companies. My assessment of effective leadership was based upon the following: they set a clear vision, they’re effective communicators, they motivate and inspire, they foster collaboration, they had a proven track record of effective decision-making, they adapt effectively to change, and they build trust with team members; all of which are crucial for achieving organizational goals.
I use these same criteria when voting. I suggest others do also.
the USA has a citizenship issue. How can we create optimal citizenship ?
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