By: Cali Kees and Joel Vanner
Follow @calikees Follow @joelvanner

Quinnipiac has filed for several permits to renovate the University President’s 30.5 acre property, located at 305 Spruce Bank Road in Hamden. The cost of this project is about $1 million.

The town of Hamden approved the building permits on Feb. 14. The site plan, filed for the main house of the property, shows plans for a catering kitchen, interior renovations for the master suite, bedrooms, bathrooms and closets. Smart lighting will be installed throughout the house and the finishes are also planned to be redone.

The architecture firm that has designed this remodel of the University President’s property, Amenta Emma Architects, has been used by the University before. They provided an interior renovation plan for the Lender School of Business and designed the interior of Quinnipiac’s Integrated Marketing and Communications building located on Whitney Avenue.

A building permit in Hamden costs $25.26 for the first $1,000 of construction cost, and $18.26 for each $1,000 of construction costs thereafter. Between the building permits and the renovations being done to the main house, the university is estimated to be spending about $916,441 on building renovations alone.

In a statement to Q30 News, Lynn Bushnell, vice president for public affairs, said, “The university sought a permit to renovate this residence earlier this month. Whenever we acquire new buildings, it is common practice for us to renovate them to enable their use. Once this renovation is completed, the president’s residence will welcome students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and dignitaries from near and far, for generations to come.”

The town issued a plumbing permit Jan. 2 for a 500 gallon underground propane tank and plumbing to accompany an existing 250 gallon underground propane tank on the left side of the carriage house.

The estimated cost for this plumbing work is listed on the permit application as $5,000.

It also issued an electrical permit on Jan. 11 for the installation of one 35 kilowatt generator with two 100amp transfer switches using liquid propane.

The estimated cost for this electrical work is listed as $21,000.

For all renovations being done to the property, the university will be spending an estimated $942,441.

This property was purchased April of 2018 for $6.5 million after unanimous approval by the Board of Trustees. In a statement to Q30 News, William Weldon, chairman of the Board of Trustees said that purchasing this property was a strategic decision for the university that they have been trying to accomplish for decades.

“The university had been trying to acquire the property since 1990, because we have long believed it is an ideal location for our university presidents to live in, and to welcome current and future members of the Quinnipiac University family. University presidents of today are expected to spend a great deal of their time fundraising and engaging in community outreach so the institution can continue to invest in the high-quality academic programs and services that develop our students. This residence serves that purpose.”

In 2017, 305 Spruce Bank Road was signed over to the owners of Frank Perrotti Jr.’s estate who later sold it to Quinnipiac.

Perrotti was born in New Haven and was a long time resident of Hamden. He served in the U.S. Army, was a local entrepreneur and was a devoted Quinnipiac ice hockey fan. Quinnipiac named the ice hockey arena on the York Hill campus after Perrotti on Nov. 8, 2017.

Updated 1:45 PM February 20, 2019. This story will be updated as new information is released.