CMHA Stirring Controversy
By r at November 17, 2023 | 2:30 pm | Print
Anger and frustration surrounds many downtown businesses as the prospect of the Community Mental Health Affiliates (CMHA) moving in at 227 Main St., the former Mitch’s Building, draws near.
Last week Ray Gorman, president and CEO of the CMHA, made a presentation to the Downtown District.
He said that the property would be the location of 3 or 4 service locations already in New Britain including those at 270 John Downey Dr., 85 Winthrop St., 12 Whiting St. and those on Arch St.
The 44,000 square foot space is expected to close on Dec. 12. It will have 125-135 workers including physicians, nurses, social workers, direct care and more.
Gorman said the business will have a “significant presence downtown.”
The City has been in the process of redoing downtown and has spent millions of dollars to fix the streets as well as Central Park which is directly across from 227 Main St.
Business owners around that area told the City Journal that having the CMHA located in this spot would destroy everything the City has worked so hard to improve.
“The Community Mental Health Affiliates (CMHA) which will be consolidating its offices, and according to their presentation to our Board quite possibly their out-patient clinic, drop-in center, family behavioral clinic, and even their methadone-suboxone clinic, and in-patient residential center.” said Gerry Amodio, downtown district director at a recent council meeting. “This project will be the death knell for all the positive work we’ve done, all of us collectively, to rejuvenate Downtown. It will ruin any chance to bring residential housing, and expansion of CCSU to Downtown. While a private sale, which the City has no jurisdiction over, is scheduled to close on December 12th, it is important for the Downtown District to let this Council know of our strong objection to its completion.”
Ian Fishkin of HJ Development, who owns The Plaza on Main St., said he is not against the CMHA in New Britain, just the place that they are located. His business owns many places in New York City and zoning is key.
“This is more about the lack of zoning protection in the downtown district,” said Fishkin. “There should be a residential area and a commercial area. When it comes to putting up a clinic there are restrictions on where it can be and where it can’t be.”
Fishkin said that is to prevent something like this from happening.
“We have been suffering for many years. We finally see a little light with the CTFastrak, the streetscape and now the downtown bridge. What is the purpose of all of this. We should have saved the money and catered to clinics,” said Fishkin. “We have a beautiful hospital. There is plenty of space for CMHA to be. It’s good for them to be downtown, but it is not good for everyone else. There is nothing in play in the zoning regulations to protect the businesses in the area.”
Fishkin said private money will stop coming downtown and the State will stop giving money for downtown if this occurs.
“All we are asking for is that our concerns are addressed,” said Fishkin. “I’ve worked on being a catalyst to the downtown area. Now, we are moving backward.”
“Many People have invested their life savings as businesses in the redevelopment of downtown and future growth of downtown, to have this opportunity be squandered. It does not affect just one building which is an anchor building, it also affects property values and the complete redevelopment of downtown,” said Avner Krohn of Jasko Development who owns many properties downtown. “The City, State and Federal government has spent millions of dollars on the streetscape and the CTfastrak to create an urban walk-able environment and then to put the CMHA across the street from the brand new park, it’s unfathomable.”
Mayor Erin Stewart said she met with the downtown district and CMHA.
“The City is in a tough spot because we are very limited with what we can do in order to stop the development,” said Stewart. “However CMHA, regardless of their name, have been an incredible community partner to us. They have helped us out when we needed help especially when it comes to a very vulnerable population. That is not their only client base that they work with. They don’t just help homeless people, but do child and family therapy. They get a bad reputation because of their name.”
Stewart said she understands where the business owners are coming from and she will work with both groups to insure that there is a development that everyone can live with.
“It doesn’t create a magnet,” said Gorman in the presentation. “They don’t loiter and just move on with the rest of their activities. If they hang out, it will be inside the building.”
The CMHA plans to move the operations on Winthrop St. in by July 1, 2024 and others by July 1, 2018. CMHA served 6,520 adults, children and families last year and include programs such as outpatient behavioral health services, substance abuse treatment and psychosocial rehabilitation.
