By Fred Camillo
For more than thirty years, efforts to replace the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center stalled in debate, delay, and missed opportunities. Its recent completion—thanks to a focused public-private partnership—stands as proof that when Greenwich moves decisively, long-discussed projects can become reality.
Opening Day for a Community Gem
On April 9th, we celebrated the long-awaited opening of the Cohen Eastern Greenwich Civic Center. A chilly day outside was more than matched by the warm feelings inside as a few hundred Greenwich residents toured the new and vastly improved civic center on the east side of town.
The over-three-decade endeavor was given a jolt of energy in January of 2020 when I received a call from Alex Cohen, who had read about my stated goal of engaging in public-private partnerships to get projects—some long-standing—started and completed, and/or over the finish line. We agreed to get to work on the long-stalled civic center proposal right away. What followed was five and a half years of presentations, approvals, permits, and affirmative votes—as well as new gift receiving policies. And yes, we did have to deal with pipeline delays due to the worst pandemic in over 100 years.
While I believe the nearly six-year successful effort could have been completed sooner, compared to 30 years of trying and 40 years of discussion and debate, it was done with lightning-fast speed!
A History of Missed Chances
When an earlier attempt at delivering a new civic center to the Town in the mid to late 1990s fell short, the effort stalled. What’s even more frustrating is that most of what is in the new state-of-the-art facility was identified and presented all those years ago. The several-decade delay cost us time and money—both of which we will never get back.
Nevertheless, the ribbon cutting the other day marked a significant milestone for Greenwich—and hopefully a lesson in debate and ultimate delivery of projects that the community supports. As I mentioned in my remarks at the grand opening: let’s debate, thoroughly vet, ask the right questions, challenge—but after all is said and done in a reasonable amount of time, get it done!
Next on Deck: Havemeyer and the Rink
From this wonderful success and the beginning of a new chapter in Greenwich history, we now turn our attention to other long-debated and overdue projects:
The return of the Havemeyer Building to the people (and not used to house government workers), and the construction of a new skating rink in town. Both facilities are in disrepair, and while they have different storylines, the delay tactic is alive and well—and has been for decades. In the case of the Havemeyer Building, a civic-minded group of citizens presented the Town with a wonderful plan over 20 years ago with more than $30 million in pledges. The then-elected Board of Education refused to seriously consider moving, and with that, a transformational opportunity was lost… until now.
Unlocking the Potential of Havemeyer
The building is owned by the Town and sits on property estimated to be worth between $74 and $100 million, and is in need of repair, renovation, and reimagination. The Board of Education (BOE) administration is also eager to relocate. So, the second of two well-run task forces—both chaired by Andy Duus with dedicated members—that I put together is trying to work with the Democrats on the elected BOE, who are refusing to vote for relocation unless the BOE administration is located downtown, in the same building, and/or in another government building. While none of those conditions are needed nor necessary, we are trying to work out a solution so that their opposition does not end up costing the residents and taxpayers of Greenwich more time and money, as well as another transformational opportunity for the Town. The clock is ticking, and another public-private partnership is waiting to restore the building and give it back to the people of Greenwich—who continue to watch a formerly beautiful 53,000-square-foot building deteriorate in the heart of downtown with a government entity inside that only needs about 18,000–20,000 square feet of space.
In the meantime, taxpayers continue to fund the BOE’s operations in a building that is outdated, oversized, and incredibly inefficient. The Havemeyer Building’s aging HVAC, insulation, and lighting systems contribute to an energy profile that’s both expensive and environmentally damaging. Last year alone, utility costs for heating and electricity were nearly double what a smaller, energy-efficient building of the same function would require. Deferred maintenance has also driven up repair costs annually, with patchwork fixes and temporary solutions becoming the norm. These aren’t just line items—they’re recurring expenses that hit the budget every year and are bad for the environment. Simply put, the longer we delay relocation, the more we hurt the next generation by harming their planet and their finances.
Hamill Rink: Time to Modernize
The Hamill Rink Task Force—a well-rounded group of civic-minded volunteers chaired by Matt DeSchamps—is now meeting and tasked with building upon the good work and information already gathered by the Hamill Rink Committee, which was led by Bill Drake as chairman and Rick Loh as the Parks Board member with a long history on this effort. It included residents passionate about skating and improving skating experiences for all. Their job now is to present a recommendation in the coming months. Built in 1976 and named for former Greenwich resident and 1976 Olympic Gold Medal winner Dorothy Hamill, the rink was named for our Olympian champion after the ’76 Winter Olympic Games. The rink was put together piecemeal, is outdated for today’s skating programs, and is nearing the end of its useful life.
Why Greenwich Leads
Greenwich is a destination for people around the globe, and for good reason. We have so much to offer that other municipalities around the nation could only hope for:
Beautiful landscape that includes a shoreline and countryside;
Wonderful parks and terrific recreational programs and opportunities;
Miles of open space and hiking trails;
A top-rated public golf course to go along with wonderful private clubs;
A well-regarded public school system;
A hospital located in town;
A regional airport just yards from the town border;
Close proximity to New York City and all that has to offer; and lastly,
A civic spirit that is second to none.
Getting to Yes
With so much going for our Town, the only thing that prevents the progress needed to stay competitive and ahead of what other towns and cities are doing is “getting to yes” in a more timely fashion. The fact that even the purchase of Tod’s Point was rejected three times by the RTM and BET highlights the difficulty any new idea, project, or proposal faces. With this in mind, let us continue to thoroughly vet and ask pertinent questions, but not lose sight of the dangers of the “death by a thousand cuts” approach that ends up costing us all more in the end.
That’s how we fall behind. Let’s keep moving forward together. Let’s get to yes.
