Greenwich seeking developer for Havemeyer Building

The Town of Greenwich is seeking a developer to repurpose an old building it owns, the Havemeyer Building located at 290 Greenwich Ave. The building has been the headquarters for the Greenwich Public Schools for the past 76 years. It dates from the late 1800s.

Greenwich says that the current use for the building may not be its “highest and best” use. It says that the building is a central landmark that could offer unique development opportunities. Greenwich says that it is looking for creative proposals that would generate strong economic activities and meaningful community uses to benefit the town and its residents.

Greenwich says it is looking for responses to a Request for Proposals to be submitted by mid-November. It says that proposals should be compatible wit the existing site and building and conform to the surrounding area and neighborhoods. It says that it would prefer to lease the property to a developer rather than selling.

Greenwich points out that the site is zoned in the Central Greenwich Business District and a variety of commercial, office and institutional uses are permitted as of right.

Among the factors to be considered by the town when it decides what it wants to do would be the economic and financial impacts of a proposed development and how the town would be expected to participate in the development and ongoing operations at the site.

The Havemeyer Building was constructed in 1892 by philanthropist Henry O. Havemeyer. Early in its life it was used as a public school.