Stonington proposes to extend St. Michael School lease of West Broad Street School

Joe Wojtas, The Day, New London, Conn.
·2 min read

Aug. 16—STONINGTON — Voters will be asked at a Sept. 12 town meeting to extend St. Michael School's lease of the former West Broad Street School building in Pawcatuck .

In May of 2020, the town and St. Michael agreed to a 3-year lease with an option to renew for an additional two years.

The school pays rent of $300 a month and St. Michael is responsible for operational costs such as heating, electricity, landscaping and snow removal as well as interior repairs. The town has remained responsible for the building exterior and systems such as the boiler, roof and fire suppression.

In it's announcement of the proposed lease extension, the town said that over the past two years, St. Michael School has seen an increase in enrollment and is now seeking a long-term lease of the West Broad building.

The proposed new lease would be for 15 years, with the option to renew for an additional 10 years.

The $300-a-month payment would stay in effect, but St. Michael would be responsible for all costs, capital repairs and improvements for the 122-year-old building, of which the town said there are many.

The uses of the town-owned building as a school could not change during the term of the lease.

The town also announced that during the summers of 2020 and 2021, St. Michael School made interior improvements to the school such as repainting all classrooms and hallways on the first and second floors and the third-floor auditorium, removing asbestos floor tiles in seven classrooms and the main office and repairing and refurbishing the original maple floors underneath.

During this past summer, the school made extensive roof, chimney and gutter repairs while damage to ceilings and walls in the third-floor classrooms due to roof leaks will also be repaired before school opens. The four classrooms will also be repainted.

The town said the school has invested $365,000 in repairs as well as "countless volunteer hours on many of these projects."

The school is now interested in undertaking additional projects such as repointing, cleaning, and sealing all exterior brickwork, repainting exterior trim, renovating bathrooms and repairing or replacing windows.

"Through a continued partnership of St. Michael School and the Town of Stonington, both can work toward the renewal of a local historic treasure and allow it to continue to function as a school as it was originally intended," stated the town in its announcement of the lease extension.