Buyer found but obstacles loom in sale of YMCA's Camp Anderson

The YMCA of Southeastern Connecticut has a buyer for the 134-acre Camp Anderson property in North Stonington, YMCA officials said, a move that could help Norwich officials finalize a proposal to lease the Y's Main Street building as a community center.

YMCA board member and Norwich attorney Mark Block, who has been marketing both the Camp Anderson property at 96 Button Road and the 337-341 Main St., Norwich, building, said Wednesday the agency is close to finalizing a deal for Camp Anderson. Block said officials hope to complete the deal before Thanksgiving.

"If we do, it will facilitate the Y possibly moving forward with the city of Norwich's plans for the downtown property," Block said.

North Stonington officials, however, said there could be obstacles in the pending Camp Anderson sale.

Block would not identify the buyer or reveal the price for the North Stonington property. A broker's opinion placed the value of the camp, which is 60 percent wetlands, at $400,000.

YMCA board member Robert Congdon, the Preston first selectman, also declined to give specifics of the pending deal. Congdon said the sale would reduce the Y's debt, estimated at $700,000, but would not eliminate the entire debt.

Congdon said YMCA board members were surprised at a new debt that emerged this week, when the state Department of Labor placed a lien on both the Norwich and North Stonington properties for $91,951 in unpaid unemployment taxes and interest from March through August.

"It was a surprise," Congdon said. "We were assured that all taxes and withholdings were being submitted to the appropriate agencies. We need to do some research on it."

Congdon said the North Stonington deal is "an attractive offer, especially given the economic times we're in." He said the buyer has concerns for open space and preservation that would benefit North Stonington.

But to date, North Stonington officials have not been satisfied with proposals from the YMCA, First Selectman Nicholas Mullane said. The town is an essential player in any deal, because a deed restriction on Camp Anderson calls for the 35-acre rear portion called the Geer Parcel to revert to the town if the YMCA closed the camp.

Block sent a letter to North Stonington Oct. 13 asking for a town meeting to ask voters to release the "right of reverter" on the Geer Parcel. The Board of Selectmen last week voted against the request, in agreement with the Conservation Commission.

Instead, Mullane said, town officials want the YMCA to return the 35-acre Geer Parcel to the town and grant the town a right of way to the property for maintenance and security.

Mullane said he is awaiting another letter from Block asking again to send the matter to voters at a town meeting. Mullane said he would recommend that voters reject the proposal if it were put to a vote.

"What we're really haggling over is the right of way," Mullane said, "which could be a big deal to the buyer, but we need access to the property for control."

c.bessette@theday.com