Connecticut Institute For Communities had completed the purchase of the former “Waterworks” Danbury Cadillac/Oldsmobile building located on Park Avenue. The purchase price of $880,000 was offset by an $800,000 state grant. The building will be turned into a comprehensive community Nursery School/Early Learning Center for pre-school children ages 3 to 5.
Over the next year, the building will be remodeled, with seven early learning classrooms. The building will be able to accommodate 140 children. There will also be a multi-purpose activity room, a warming kitchen so breakfast and lunch can be served, a nurse’s office, parent advisor’s office, and support space. The new facility will also have an exterior playscape, and on-site parking for staff, parents, and visitors.
CIFC President Jim Maloney says they worked with neighbors to revise the zoning rules to be able to renovate the building. The outside will be remodeled to look as residential as possible so that it won't look like a commercial building any more. But he says that will depend on market demand.
Maloney says it will be a mix of HeadStart, state-funded school readiness and potentially some private nursery school slots.
The physical rehabilitation work will be privately financed by CIFC. The estimated cost is about $1 million. It is anticipated that the work will be completed in about a year.
