We reported a couple weeks ago that dozens and dozens of houses and cottages sit vacant and seemingly abandoned on the site of the Southbury Training School in Southbury, CT.

Although the facility still serves a population of 229 severely developmentally disabled individuals, it’s a shadow of what it once was decades ago, when it housed thousands according to the Hartford Courant.

We brought the man into our studio, who brought this topic to light with his YouTube video. He gave us further insight into what's really going on at the Southbury Training School site, which you can watch here:

The Patch.com pointed out 2013, legislation which aimed to:

...Preserve and create management guidelines for the Farm at Southbury Training School, protecting some of its 1600 acres.

A committee “unique to the use and reuse of the Southbury Training School” was formed in 2014 by the state which commissioned a study of the campus of the school. Here is some of what they determined:

The buildings appear, through visual review only, to be generally physically and structurally sound. The potential for reuse for any facility may depend in large degree to the intended future use.

 

CONCLUSION AS TO BASELINE CONDITIONS:

No major deficiencies were found in this investigation of the existing site conditions. Any noted needs within this report are relatively minor and would not impose significant difficulties for decisions made on the reuse of the property.

Governor Malloy was quoted in the Mirror as saying:

Closing or, more likely, repurposing Southbury is a matter of time.

But they made the prediction that any determination may be made after his  term is over in January, 2019. While these structures are still somewhat viable action should be taken. 2019 could be too late in my opinion. What do you think needs to be done?

 

Here is the original video, exploring the neighborhood:

 

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