Middlebury to challenge ruling that halted warehouse plan at former Timex headquarters

Steve Bigham

MIDDLEBURY — The town will seek reconsideration, just short of an all-out appeal, of last month’s Superior Court decision that overturned previous Middlebury land-use approvals for the construction of a 670,000 square-foot warehouse at the former Timex world headquarters on Christian Road.

The Middlebury Board of Selectmen Monday voted 2-1 in favor of challenging Judge John Cordani’s Jan. 31 ruling that said the town’s Conservation and Planning & Zoning commissions had no authority to approve developer Southford Park's massive distribution center.

The board had considered fully appealing the judge’s decision, but opted as a cost-saving measure to leave any full-blown appeal up to the developer.

The board said it simply seeks clarification on Cordani’s decision to help its land-use commissions in making future decisions.

Cordani’s ruling last month was based in part on a new state statute raised by State Rep. Willam Pizzuto, R-Middlebury, designed to protect small towns from the impacts to wetlands and pedestrians from large distribution and trucking centers by prohibiting them.

The judge’s ruling appeared to leave the distribution center plans dead in the water. It was hailed by many Middlebury residents who have vehemently opposed the proposed distribution center for more than two years, fearing such a massive operation with trucks entering and exiting 24-7 would forever alter the town’s tranquil setting. 

The Middlebury Small Town Alliance, which spearheaded a years-long fight against the project, filed its appeal with the courts last year. It cited errors by the town’s land-use boards, which it claimed had approved Southford Park’s application with complete disregard for its own regulations.

But attorneys for the town say they disagree with Cordani’s ruling and say an appeal — or in this case a reconsideration — is warranted.

They say Cordani’s decision left many unanswered questions and note that it was based on his interpretation of the new state statute, which had never before been considered in court.

Attorney Gail E. McTaggart for the town said Cordani’s ruling was “only a partial answer” and did not “comport to all the facts presented.”
“It came as a complete surprise,” she said.

Attorney James R. Strub agreed, noting that he could understand why Middlebury’s land-use commissions would want to protect the “voracity” of their decision-making process.

First Selectman Edward St. John, and Selectman J. Paul Vance both voted in favor of the reconsideration request, pointing out that the town needs to support the decisions of its boards and commissions, although Vance noted that he did not want to make the request appear to residents as if town officials were “in bed” with the developer.

Selectman Jennifer Mahr voted against the move, stating that Cordani’s ruling was correct in that Middlebury’s land-use commissions did not properly apply the law that was in front of them.

“They were wrong in their decision and people don’t want this project to begin with,” said Mahr, who was elected to the board in 2023 after having lead the town’s anti-distribution center fight.

But Vance said he has a responsibility to represent both sides of the aisle and noted that “if we lose control of land use, we may as well just go home.” 
Vance said there are many in town who support the project as a way to ensure the town’s continued economic development.

Among them is Chip Kuehnle, who noted that Cordani’s decision was based on a controversial move by Pizzuto, who, in the 11th hour of state budget talks last year, “slipped in” a land-use provision into the state budget, which he said, provided a lifeline to those opposed to the distribution center.Kuehnle said Pizzuto’s action “devalued” some of Middlebury’s most valuable tax-generating land.

“Towns that do not have a strong business environment will ultimately end up crushing their citizens with high taxes,” Kuehnle said.
He said the idea that the Timex property might instead be sold to a tax-exempt organization would be “devastating” as the town would forever lose the revenue generated from that property. “Equally bad would be another high-density residential development,” he said. “The sad reality is that this has been one of the most costly and divisive examples of the “not in my back yard” mindset and a fear mongering operation to convince residents that Middlebury was being destroyed by the very people that actually made it what it is.”

Kuehnle’s remarks have been offset by 72 open letters to the Board of Selectmen expressing opposition to any appeal of the court’s decision, including Mel Persenaire, who noted that the town is already embroiled in a $400,000 police arbitration appeal and said the idea of appealing this most recent court decision will “prove to be expensive and not in the best interest of the majority of Middlebury residents.”

Strub said the filing of a reconsideration, while less expensive than an appeal, does not guarantee Middlebury will get the answers it needs and that, ultimately, a full appeal of the decision may be necessary. That, however, could be a year-long process which could exceed $100,000 in legal fees, something St. John said the town is not willing to pay for.

Retail projects to watch in Bridgeport-area towns in 2025: Trader Joe's, a soccer stadium and more

Claire K. Racine, Brian Gioiele, Brian Lockhart, Jarrod Wardwell, Shaniece Holmes-Brown

From a soccer stadium to a beloved chain grocery store, there are some big retail projects in the works in the Bridgeport region.

They run the gamut from medical facilities — an independent pediatric group in Trumbull and a cancer center in Fairfield — to a planned Trader Joe's in Shelton and that aforementioned soccer arena in Bridgeport.

Some of these project are far along in their timelines, while others are still in the early stages, such as the future plans for Bridgeport’s shuttered coal-fired power plant.

No matter what stage they are in, here are some construction projects to keep an eye on in 2025. 

Pediatric Healthcare Associates, Trumbull

An independent pediatric group plans to build a one-story medical office on an almost 4-acre property at 6600 Main St. in Trumbull.

The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the plans in September.

The project is over 12,000 square feet with 80 parking spaces and a sidewalk along Main Street down to the Long Hill Green area.

Construction work began on Jan. 30 and is expected to be ongoing for several weeks.

Soccer stadium, Bridgeport

Entrepreneur Andre Swanston and his Connecticut Sports Group are aiming to begin construction on a minor league soccer stadium on Bridgeport’s lower East Side in time for the 2026 season.

The developer has so far obtained the necessary zoning approvals and $16 million in state aid to help clean up the contaminated properties, one portion private, one owned by the city. But as of a year ago the total project budget was around $96 million and Swanston has said he is seeking a significant amount more of public financial aid which so far has yet to materialize.

Trader Joe’s, Shelton

Trader Joe’s will be opening its latest grocery store at Shelton’s Fountain Square development off Bridgeport Avenue.

The Planning and Zoning Commission in early January approved plans for the specialty grocer to occupy a 13,800-square-foot building in Fountain Square at 801 Bridgeport Ave., already home to Chick-fil-A, Panera and Jersey Mike's, among others.

Hartford HealthCare cancer center, Fairfield

Hartford HealthCare will open a cancer center in a roughly 25,000-square-foot facility at 4185 Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield this year. 

The facility, located near the Merritt Parkway, comes as the result of a partnership with New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, based in Manhattan. The location will offer outpatient cancer services, according to Hartford HealthCare.

Before the announcement about the cancer center last year, Fairfield’s zoning commissioners had approved plans for apartments in 2021.

Gengras dealership, Fairfield

Gengras Chrysler Dodge Jeep Fairfield will open a showroom and service center at 251 Commerce Drive this year, relocating from its former property on Tunxis Hill Road.

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Fairfield’s Commerce Drive is home to a row of car dealership locations, including Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti.

Jonathan Gengras, the owner of the Gengras dealership's parent company, has said the facility should open in the summer of 2025. He said the move would allow for more vehicle bays.

Bridgeport Station Development

Decommissioned in 2021, the massive facility with its red-and-white striped tower sits on the harbor in the South End.

New owner Bridgeport Station Development, which recently purchased the site from PSEG, announced plans in mid-November to begin tearing the structure down this year with the help of $22.5 million in state aid. That is expected to last three years during which time a redevelopment plan focusing on housing, restaurants and public waterfront access will be drafted. 

Waterbury plans to acquire East Main Street property for firehouse replacement project

Paul Hughes

WATERBURY — City officials are taking initial steps toward acquiring the Las Delicias Bakery & Restaurant property on East Main Street through a negotiated sale or eminent domain for the planned replacement of  Fire Station 5 next door.

The City Planning Commission voted unanimously earlier this month to recommend the Board of Aldermen approve the acquisition of the small parcel at the request of the administration of Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski Jr.

The Board of Aldermen is slated to schedule a hearing on the proposed  acquisition of 1980 East Main St. at its meeting Monday. After the hearing, aldermen would then vote on whether to proceed.

City officials are looking to obtain the Las Delicias property adjacent to Fire Station 5 to build a new, larger and state-of-art firehouse on the two properties.

Pernerewski said his administration is planning to buy the property through a negotiated sale if one can be reached, or through an eminent domain action if necessary.

"If we can come to terms with the property owner, we'll go before the Board of Aldermen for acquisition," he said. "If not, then we have to go through the eminent domain process."

Finance Director Michael LeBlanc advised the City Planning Commission that attempts to determine the owner's interest in selling the property were unsuccessful.

City land records list VLE 7 LLC as the property owner, and a state business filing names Victor A. Enriquez-Perez and Luz Morocho as its principals. Efforts were made Friday to reach the owners for comment, but received no immediate response.

The property at 1980 East Main is 0.21 acres with a three-story building constructed in 1926 that consists of commercial and retail space on the first floor where the bakery is housed and apartments on the upper two floors. The city last valued the property at $404,700. 

Eminent domain is the power of the government to take private property for public use. If Waterbury exercises this authority, the city will move to condemn the Las Delicias property and offer compensation based on its fair market value. A property owner can challenge the legality of the seizure and the fair market value used for compensation through the courts.

Pernerewski said he believes the city's stated purpose of acquiring property for a new firehouse to serve East End residents would survive court scrutiny. He said that would just leave the question of the selling price. He acknowledged that taking the property through eminent domain would require Las Delicias owners to relocate the business elsewhere.

Fire Station 5 was built in 1927, and it is not only antiquated and worn down, but also considered functionally obsolete, according to city officials. It is considered too small to adequately serve the fire safety needs of East End neighborhoods.

The firehouse can only accommodate a single fire engine, and the single exit and entrance is at the congested intersection on East Main Street and Southmayd Road. City officials also said the existing station is too confined to meet the personnel needs of the firefighters assigned there.

The acquisition of the Las Delicias property would allow for the construction of a larger firehouse that could accommodate two modern fire engines, and it would also provide a second means of ingress and egress on Brookdale Lane, which will allow fire trucks to pull out of the entrance fronting East Main Steet  and loop back on Brooksdale Lane to return through the rear entrance.

There was $8 million authorized in the city's latest capital plan for the construction of the new Fire Station 5. But Pernerewski said the final price of the project will depend on construction costs when the contract is sent out to public bid.

The mayor said he also anticipates that work on a new Station 5 would probably start sometime in 2026 at the earliest. He said the city is going to next renovate Fire Station 1 on North Main Street as part of an ongoing program to update firehouses. In 2021, the Board of Aldermen approved an initial $1.3 million bond authorization.

Naugatuck launches facade improvement program for downtown businesses

Andreas Yilma

NAUGATUCK — As the downtown infrastructure is currently being upgraded, business owners and landlords in Naugatuck will soon be able to get some help to give their storefronts a makeover to complement the physical borough improvements. 

Borough officials have put together a facade improvement subcommittee with burgesses Meghan Smith and Julie Rosenblatt and members from the building inspector's office and land use to help transform the image of businesses.

The committee will begin to take applications and evaluate them. 

The Board of Mayor and Burgesses last year approved a plan to implement a facade and building improvement ordinance. The intent of the program is to strengthen the economic viability, stimulate reinvestment in commercial buildings and facilitate local economic development, according to the document. 

The program is reimburse one half of the total amounts approved and expended and will not exceed $25,000 of reimbursement per approved project. It will be paid with the borough's Tax Increment Financing funds. 

"We set aside $300,000 from our Tax Increment Financing and we're at the point now where we can start taking applications," Mayor N. Warren "Pete" Hess said. 

Buildings in several eligible locations are included in the borough's TIF district, which is mainly in the downtown area, Church Street, Rubber Avenue, North Main Street, Bridge Street and South Main Street between Bridge and Diamond streets. 

The goals for the project include to encourage private investments in commercial properties, improve commercial buildings to encourage growth and reduce vacancies in storefronts, enhance the appearance of the neighborhoods commercial areas, build up local businesses and to rehabilitate or restore the original character of historic buildings. 

Some of the different work that can be done include carpentry, storefront construction, painting, signs, masonry cleaning and repairs, window and roof repairs and improvements to allow outdoor dining. 

Other towns have similar programs, including Clinton, Danbury, East Hartford, Meriden, New Britain, Torrington and Wethersfield.

Hess said borough officials will have to evaluate the technical aspects of the applications before they look at the aesthetics and how things fit in. 

Burgess Bob Neth, who is also vice president of Naugatuck-based Connecticut Signcraft, said he would have liked to be on the subcommittee but there is a conflict of interest as facades deal with sign work. 

Construction work now looks to be done from infrastructure and building aesthetics standpoints. 

The Board of Mayor and Burgesses previously approved in January to enter into an agreement to accelerate the Church Street Infrastructure Project while working through the winter. The agreement includes resolving all relocation and other related delay issues with Eversource. 

The borough board initially approved in 2022 to select Kleinfelder Northeast, a national engineering firm, for the final design of stormwater and sanitary sewer upgrades and streetscape designs for Church and Maple streets. That firm is collaborating with Ricther & Cegan, a landscape architecture and planning firm, for the streetscape portion of the project. 

The entire downtown infrastructure project is scheduled to be complete Oct. 15, Hess previously said. 

New London Turnpike to get improvements for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists

Claire Bessette

Norwich — Stretching from the Norwichtown Green southward into Montville, New London Turnpike transforms from a commercial strip to a scenic, rural road, back to commercial and then runs past landmark institutions.

Norwich and Montville officials have been planning for the past 10 years to make major improvements to the 4-mile-long road to provide pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists with a safer route to school, work or recreation spots.

A two-pronged project totaling $5.4 million now getting started divides New London Turnpike into two sections, north and south of the busy Route 82-West Main Street intersection in Norwich. A third, separate project calls for Norwich to replace the aging bridge over the Yantic River near the side entrance to the Norwichtown Commons.

The new bridge is estimated to cost $6.5 million. Norwich has applied for federal congressional funding for the bridge construction and already has received an $800,000 federal grant to design the bridge, Public Works Director Brian Long said. City officials spent much of last week interviewing five finalist companies that submitted bids for the work.

Norwich and Montville are jointly working on a $2.8 million plan to repave 1.4 miles of roadway from Route 82 south to the Route 32 intersection in Norwich. Another $1.4 million will be used to construct 0.8 miles of new sidewalks to replace the narrow, well-worn paths workers heading to Mohegan Sun have created over the years.

Existing sidewalks that already run from Route 82 south along residential neighborhoods and in front of CT State Community College, Three Rivers are in good condition, Long said. Improvements would include handicapped access ramps in places. New sidewalks will be added to the Rose Garden Ice Arena, Norwich golf course, Malerba’s farm store and into Montville to Route 32, where a traffic light includes crosswalks workers can use to reach Mohegan Sun.

The federal Local Transportation Capital Improvements Program grant has been awarded to cover the full construction cost, Long said. The municipalities must cover the cost of necessary rights of way and design work. Norwich will use its voter-approved road improvements bond to cover local match requirements, Long said.

Work on the portion of New London Turnpike from West Town Street at the Norwichtown Green to Route 82 is called New London Turnpike North Complete Streets Project. The city has received a $1 million Federal Highway Administration Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant for this portion. The city is responsible for design work and securing rights of way.

The Norwich City Council on Monday approved acquisition of two small easements, one at the intersection with Lathrop Avenue near the green and one from the Beth Jacob Synagogue at 400 New London Turnpike, for the project.

Sidewalks will run from the West Town Street intersection at the green, past McDonald’s restaurant, the entrances to several other businesses, the Norwichtown Commons entrance, across the Yantic River bridge, past Gorin’s Furniture and past a complex of medical offices.

The road becomes rural after the Asylum Street intersection, so it makes no sense to add sidewalks there, Long said. Instead, the roadway will be striped with bicycle lanes in that area.

Sidewalks resume near the John B. Stanton School, running past the school, Beth Jacob Synagogue and All Friends Animal Hospital to the Route 82 intersection. Homes line the street on the opposite side from the school. Existing sidewalks in that area are in good condition but will be improved with handicapped-access ramps. Long said the roadway also is in good condition and does not need repaving, only restriping the pavement to add the bike lanes and define travel lanes, Long said.

While the improvements are aimed at accommodating 21st century travelers, New London Turnpike's initial purpose was to assist merchants and travelers trekking between Norwich and New London.

City Historian Dale Plummer said the original New London Turnpike — a much narrower and winding roadway — was one of America’s first toll roads starting in the 1790s, hence the turnpike designation. The last stretch of toll on the road ended about 100 years later.

A narrow, stone wall-lined path still exists across from the Dudley Street intersection just south of the Route 2 overpass, a remnant of the original turnpike. There was a ford across the Yantic behind Backus Hospital, he said.

Plummer said Dudley Street and other roads that start and end at the current New London Turnpike could have been part of the original turnpike.

“It was one of the original turnpikes, because of the shipping industry,” Plummer said. “In winter, Norwich Harbor would be iced in. Being able to bring goods down to New London via the turnpike made a lot of sense.”