Once a Dairy Farm Now Priceless

Once a Dairy Farm, Now Priceless

DDS Employees Transform Glastonbury Group Home

Newly renovated Glastonbury home

Driving by, you may or may not notice the old farm house in Glastonbury, but if you work for the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) you will notice the new windows, doors and deck. The recently renovated Victorian style house is home to five residents served by the department. Built in 1900, the house became a project of many employees who took it on as if it were own.

Steve Powers, DDS General Trades Worker, Warren Schilling, DDS Professional Engineer and Thomas Dailey, former North Region Assistant Regional Director and current South Region Assistant Regional Director met early on with the consumers and their staff to see what was needed in the house. Together they designed the architectural plans with Mr. Powers researching all the materials, Mr. Schilling designing, and drawing up the plans and Mr. Dailey facilitating the project. The house was refurbished from the tip of the roof to the foundation. Walls were moved, bathrooms gutted, new windows and kitchen cabinets were installed, all while maintaining the beauty of the hardwood floors and trim. In the end, the character of the old Dairy Farm still remains, just polished and shined to a new luster.

John Massicotte, North Region Plant Facilities Engineer and Jeff Cyr, DDS Chief Engineer provided oversight of the construction that took six months and Steve Robson, North Region Assistant Regional Director and Kevin Martin, North Region Program Supervisor helped support the consumers during the renovation.

Deputy Commissioner Kathryn du Pree

and Commissioner Peter H.O'Meara tour

the house.

New kitchen

Commissioner Peter H. O’Meara and Deputy Commissioner Kathryn du Pree recently toured the home with North Regional Director John Houchin and DDS staff who all worked on the project.

You can’t help but notice, as these DDS employees walked through the house, the sense of accomplishment and team work was evident on their faces. Together, they took a diamond in the rough, cut it, polished it and added some personal touches to bring out the best clarity. Priceless!