The Arch Street Teen Center has operated at 100 Arch Street by Roger Sherman Baldwin Park for decades. Despite a $1.00-a-year lease for the historic building located right off I95 exit 3 – adjacent to both the town ferry docks a Parks Dept building, and of course, Greenwich Harbor – extensive fundraising was required for the non-profit to maintain the building, its mechanicals and pay for utilities.
The Teen Center now operates out of Crush Table Tennis space at 255 Field Point Road where activity revolves around ping pong and DJ events.
The teen center opened in October 1991 inside the 1870 building at 100 Arch Street, originally a horse barn for the Bruce Family estate.
In 2016, the non-profit celebrated its 25th anniversary. To mark the milestone, the Greenwich Library Oral History Project published “Arch Street Teen Center – 25th Anniversary 1991-2016,” a collection of interviews with former State Senator Scott Frantz; board member Judith Donahue and director Kyle Silver who talked about the longest running teen center in America. At the time Mr. Silver estimated there were about 15,000 teens visits a year and dances often sold out.
This week a lawsuit filed in housing court pits plaintiff, the Teen Center against the defendant, the Town of Greenwich.
A “Verified Lockout Complaint” was filed in judicial District Housing session at Stamford saying the plaintiff, “Greenwich Teen Center, Inc.” has been in possession of premises at 100 Arch Street since October 1991 and alleging that on or about January 5, 2026, the defendant entered the premises and locked the plaintiff out by padlocking the door, changing the locks and, “The defendant put metal brackets on every door of the building. The defendant opened the plaintiff’s boxes and possessions including their safe and have denied the plaintiff access to the property.”
Further, the complaint alleges the defendant prevented the plaintiff from occupying the premises since Jan 5, 2026.
Lastly, the application for temporary injunction asserts, “The plaintiff, a non-profit teen center, is a longstanding tenant of the Town of Greenwich which operates a teen center including a recording studio and theatrical space. The plaintiff’s lease expired December 31, 2025. On January 5, 2026 the defendant locked the plaintiff out of the premises, including from its sound equipment, lighting equipment, business records, personal property, etc.”
The court case was updated with a stipulated agreement of the parties:
Scooter Braun spoke to a full house at the Arch Street Teen Center about the expectations of people from Greenwich. For said that for years, he told people he was from Queens. April 28, 2016 Credit: Leslie Yager
The Teen Center has made headlines a few times in recent years, with notable speakers including Scooter Braun, and as venue for the arts including Offbeat Players annual summer musical.
During the pandemic, when gatherings of youth were halted, then board chair Icy Frantz supported the use of the facility by Neighbor to Neighbor starting in March 2020 for their expanded food pantry and delivery operations.
In March 2022 the non-profit was in the news again when a controversial event featuring Project Veritas then leader James O’Keefe was bumped from the teen center and held instead at the Delamar Hotel after a complaint.
Post-pandemic, in the fall 2022, the teen center implemented new policies to promote safety, which were announced by then board chair Icy Frantz and director Kyle Silver. The teen center started to require youth to register and agree to a Code of Conduct to attend events. New rules included middle schoolers not being allowed to arrive or leave by Uber and have written permission to leave after dark by foot or bike.
Today the Teen Center’s website is down, but their Instagram is active.
Sticker on a door at Teen Center “I’m with Fred,” in March 2019.
On Friday, First Selectman Fred Camillo said in his weekly e-blast that he planned to make an official announcement about a new task force to determine the best future use of the historic building at 100 Arch Street.
“For the past 36 years, the Greenwich community has enjoyed having the longest running teen center in the entire country,” he wrote, adding gratitude to Scott and Icy Frantz for starting the Arch Street Teen Center all those years ago, along with the many board members who volunteered to keep the teen center going.
“Sadly, the time has now come for the next phase for this beautiful building on Arch Street, right by Greenwich Harbor,” Camillo continued, adding that the new task force would develop an RFP so the town can immediately start to look at the best possible use for the building.
He urged residents eager to join the task force or share ideas to contact him by email at Fred.Camillo@greenwichct,gov or call his office at 203-622-7710.
Renée Lux, Oral History Project interviewer; Kyle Silver (Executive Director of Arch Street Teen Center) and Alex Gibbons (president of the Teen Board). Dec. 8, 2016 Credit: Leslie Yager
Update: On Monday Camillo released a statement on the teen center situation, saying, “Recent newspaper articles about the closing of the Greenwich Teen Center at the 100 Arch Street location have unfortunately led some to promote a false narrative.
I am compelled now to state the actual record, even though there is pending litigation.
First, the Teen Center’s lease at 100 Arch Street expired on December 31, 2025. Mr. Kyle Silver acknowledged this in writing back in October and said they would be out of the building by then, as the Teen Center had already re-opened its new location at 255 Field Point Road. We relied on this representation.
When the lease expired, he then asked for additional time to remove property which remained in the building. We granted an additional two weeks with the stipulation that a waiver and release be provided holding the Town harmless for any loss or damage to the property remaining in the building. The building as left behind by the Teen Center presented a liability for the Town. An internal audit of the building revealed that many of the improvements that were promised by the Teen Center as per the lease were not done and that the building had fallen into disrepair due to the Teen Center’s failure to perform necessary maintenance over the years.
Needless to say, Mr. Silver did not sign the release and instead retained a lawyer.
As a result of the pending litigation brought against the Town by the Teen Center, the Town has now obtained the previously requested waiver and release.”