A pipe fitting burst in the ceiling of the Ansonia Senior Center, causing extensive water damage.
ANSONIA – The $1.7 million senior center on Main Street can’t be used after a pipe burst in the ceiling caused extensive water damage.
The cost of repairs wasn’t known as of March 11. An insurance claim is being filed.
Mayor David Cassetti blamed the contractors who worked on the building. He said he wants to sue.
“They did the job, and it’s still falling apart. We paid significant money,” Cassetti said. “There’s going to be a lawsuit, provided the statute of limitations didn’t wear out yet for that.”
The Ansonia Senior Center is housed within a renovated office building at 65 Main St. The Ansonia Police Department takes up most of the building. The overall building renovation cost about $15 million.
According to Ansonia Senior Center Director Christine Sonsini, a pipe fitting in the ceiling burst overnight Feb. 26. She discovered the damage after walking into work, she said.
“Basically, it’s about half of the senior center, so the library, part of the main room, part of the kitchen, and we have three rooms in the back area that were all water damaged,” Sonsini said.
She said large sections of the floor, carpeting, and walls had to be ripped out because of the damage. Public works employees are currently working on finding matching flooring, or else the rest of the floors will have to be ripped up before new floors can go in, economic development director Sheila O’Malley said.
Sonsini said she was given an estimate of six to eight weeks for the repairs to be done.
Ansonia Corporation Counsel John Marini told the Board of Aldermen March 11 that the city is investigating.
“We will be looking to hold the contractor responsible for any negligence in their work,” Marini said.
O’Malley said the damage was contained to the senior center, and that other floors – including the one home to the Ansonia Police Department – were not damaged.
Affected Programs
Most of the senior center’s weekly activities will be held at the Ansonia Armory at 5 State St. until repairs are complete. Friday bingo nights will be held at Holy Rosary Church (10 Father Salemi Dr.), and Munch Eatery (560 Main St.) will offer space for activities on Mondays.
Click here for a full weekly calendar with the new locations.
Munch Eatery will also host the senior center’s St. Patrick’s Day lunch 12 p.m. March 17.
A festival celebrating local authors scheduled for March 29 will be moved to the Armory. The details of that festival are still being worked out, according to a report prepared by Sonsini.
The police department opened within the building in 2021. The senior center opened in 2023.
The police department’s garage couldn’t be used after opening because of structural issues, The Connecticut Post reported in 2022. The city spent $846,333 in repairs.
In January 2022, a sprinkler issue caused a water issue in the garage.
