Let's Build Something Together, Danbury

Tis the season to build, and Danbury is about to embark on a number of building projects that have been long awaited.

The entire list appears above, but the one that is probably the most fun is the Danbury High School windows. The existing windows predate Jimmy Carter and the OPEC Oil Embargo. Those were the days of cheap oil, when windows weren't designed to keep warm air in or cold air out. Today wind blows through the gaps alongside the windows. For a story on the 1964-65-vintage windows, click here.

"We're just waiting for the kids to get out of school," said Danbury Superintendent Rick Palanzo.

Tom Hughes, the city's construction superintendent, will oversee the $2 million window replacement project. Palanzo will oversee drainage and roof repairs to the Alternative Center for Excellence, Danbury's alternative high school. For information about water damage to ACE, see this story.

Among the city's other projects is a $750,000 to $800,000 roof replacement project at Pembroke Elementary School.

"The roof was installed in 1992. That's 20 years," Palanzo said. "It's time."

In the heavy snow winter of 2010-2011, Pembroke had a leaking roof.

The foundation could be poured for the Head Start building on Foster Street next week, said Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton. At the same time, clearing work is underway on the new Army Reserve building on Wooster Heights Road.

In addition to all that work, the city is also preparing a $20 million to $30 million bond package for repairs to the city's elementary schools, a package that voters are likely to see on the November ballot. The city is also adding up numbers for repairs of old operating equipment at the city's waste water treatment facility, equipment that is in addition to any upgrades to the plant being sought by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and at the same time by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

Boughton said the city may join litigation to sue the state and federal government to limit or reduce those requirements. No decision has been made and no dollar figure has been made public.