CT company’s iconic headquarters targeted for demolition. Time running out for effort to save it

Kenneth R. Gosselin

Time is running out to save the Timex Group headquarters, considered by some as a gem of 21st-century corporate architecture but by others, a property that has left a small western Connecticut town divided over its place in future economic development.

Built on a hillside in Middlebury in 2001, the pill-shaped building’s exterior walls are made entirely of glass, conceived as visually moving fluidly between inside and the nearly 100 acres that surround the building. The structure’s interior is an early example of an open-floor plan, coming at least a decade before other businesses started adopting such designs.

In the face of unfolding plans for demolition and redevelopment for warehousing and distribution, preservationists fighting for the building’s survival view one of the structure’s greatest attributes being the physical incorporation of Timex’s identity as the iconic watchmaker into the main floor.

An embedded line runs through the floor of the space and an oculus — a circular window — in the domed roof filters a band of sunlight onto the line which is marked off by bronze medallions. Those medallions track solstices and equinoxes, a nod the company’s long history of measuring time.

“There’s other buildings that look like what the company makes,” Nick Stuller, founder and president of the nonprofit Save Historic Middlebury, Inc., said. “We did an enormous amount of research, and it’s the only building in the world that we are aware of where the building is what the company makes. The building is actually a timekeeping piece. It’s a functioning example.”

The nonprofit, formed last May, has a long-term goal of advocating for the passage of local historic preservation ordinances in Middlebury. But the all-volunteer Save Historic Middlebury’s most urgent issue, Stuller said, “is to stop this from getting knocked down.”

The group is now pressing its case with the National Park Service, which oversees listings on the National Register of Historic Places.

Some high-profile supporters have lined up behind the fledgling nonprofit. Those include the U.S. chapter of Docomomo International, a nonprofit that documents and advocates for the preservation of buildings, sites and neighborhoods that mark the modern and post-modern architectural movements.

Liz Waytkus, executive director of the U.S. chapter, said the organization typically focuses on post-World War II architecture and has recently moved into the 1970s and 1980s.

“Which bring us to Timex, right?” Waytkus said. “It is the very first time our organization has advocated for the preservation of a 21st century building, which from a timeline perspective is a huge leap. But if you look at this building, it’s clearly expressed in a very classically, modern way.”

The roots of Timex in Connecticut stretch back to 1854 and its iconic advertising campaign “takes a licking and keeps on ticking” is known to generations of consumers. That combined with embedding the idea of time in the architecture “made it a very easy project to support because it’s an exceptional building,” Waytkus said.

Tough push to preserve

Even with that provenance, the push to preserve the building more than a quarter mile off Christian Road will be a tough one.

In December, the Connecticut Historic Preservation Review Board unanimously declined to support a nomination to the National Register. According to the board’s draft minutes of the meeting, the application from Save Historic Middlebury painted a picture of an architecturally interesting building. But the application did not provide enough context of how the building fit into the history of watchmaking or how its attributes such as the open-floor plan fit into broader architectural trends, according to the minutes.

“The problem really wasn’t necessarily with the building as with the nomination,” said Christopher Wigren, the board’s chairman and deputy director of Preservation Connecticut, the former Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation. “It’s possible that the building could meet the requirements for the National Register nomination.”

The usual requirement is that structures be at least 50 years old — and at 24 years old, the Timex Building falls far short of that hurdle. But the requirement is not hard-and-fast. Some buildings below the half-century mark — Hartford’s Phoenix Mutual “Boat Building,” and The Glass House in New Canaan, for example — have been listed early on the National Register.

“The register is set up to allow younger buildings,” Wigren said, “if they can demonstrate they have exceptional significance. That is especially important. Context comparisons — if you’re saying it’s exceptionally important, that’s compared to what?”

Stuller said the nonprofit now will directly press its case for the National Register with the park service. But Save Historic Middlebury also has another obstacle: properties won’t be listed if there are objections from the owner — and there are.

Timex, which is downsizing its space and is expected to relocate to Shelton this spring, sold the building and grounds in 2023 to a development partnership for $7.5 million. The developer — Southford LLC — plans to construct a warehouse and distribution facility of 670,000 square feet in two buildings, nearly 10 times the size of Timex.

“If a third party tries to register your property and you object — and we did — it will never be listed,” David Drubner, a principal in Southford, said.

Stuller said the nonprofit is not deterred and is still pressing ahead. Even if the property were not listed on the National Register — winning certain protections against demolition — it would be possible that it could obtain a lesser designation from the park service. The designation — “a determination of eligibility”— recognizes that if there was support from the owner, the property likely would be listed.

The Timex headquarters — its design led by architect Doug Disbrow — also would appear on the National Register’s website as a significant property, Stuller said.

“It’s an honorary thing, but it’s also quite meaningful,” Stuller said. “And God forbid that the building does come down, at least it will be, in perpetuity, memorialized on the park department’s web site. But we hope, obviously, that it doesn’t come down.”

Timex did not return a call seeking comment.

Reprieve from demolition?

At least for now, there may be a bit of a reprieve from demolition, but it has little to do with architectural preservation.

The town of Middlebury had approved the plans for the controversial warehouse, eyeing the property tax revenue, that, by one estimate, could be as much as $1.7 million a year.

But a recent Waterbury Superior Court decision has halted construction following an appeal by a local group, Middlebury Small Town Alliance, that opposes warehouse construction, particularly at the Timex property.

The group’s lawn signs proclaiming “No Distribution Facilities in Middlebury” are posted on properties around the Timex property.

The court’s decision turns on a legislation buried in the approved state budget in 2023 that was narrowly tailored to block warehouse construction in Middlebury — specifically on the Timex property — by a state legislator who lives in the area.

The law bars towns with populations fewer than 8,000 from approving the construction “or use of a warehousing or distribution facility” exceeding 100,000 square feet on any site of less than 150 acres, that contains more than 5 acres of wetlands and is within two miles from an elementary school. All those attributes fit Middlebury and the Timex property.

Further appeals are expected.

Since the construction of the Timex headquarters, five residential subdivisions have been approved by the town and built in the surrounding area.

Gary Kline, president of the homeowners association of one of them, Avalon Farms, said the town approvals demonstrated that Middlebury saw the area as prime for residential construction. The homeowners did know that they were buying in an area that also had industrial development, Kline said

But Kline said the scale of the warehouse is something that homeowners could never have anticipated.

“The feeling is, it just doesn’t belong here with the truck traffic and the noise pollution,” Kline said. “Then there is our pond. So we’re worried about all the runoff and the chemicals and everything else that will head there.”

Town officials say the Timex property is the ideal location for warehouse and distribution, a mile from I-84 and close to Waterbury-Oxford Airport.

“Historically, corporations — when they build — they usually build a building that is absolutely tailored to their specific needs,” Curtis Bosco, Middlebury’s zoning enforcement officer, said. “And sometimes, they go overboard to build a monument to their industry or to their companies.”

But when they move on, “they leave a building that is very difficult to transition into repurposing,” Bosco said.

Just knocked on the door

Stuller, the founder of Save Historic Middlebury, said he is a fairly recent transplant to Middlebury, having moved into the town five years ago.

Stuller, the founder and chief executive of the tech company BenFi, said he only learned about the Timex property in early 2023 after hearing about the debate over the warehouse. He did some googling and saw photos of the building and thought that might make for an interesting topic for a school report for his daughter, then in third grade.

“We knocked on the door one day and asked for a two-minute peek,” Stuller said. “Next thing you know, they gave us this tour, and an hour and 15 minutes later, we left. We met the CEO and the head designer who happened to have flown in from Italy that week. They gave us watches. They gave us a book about Timex and a walking tour guide of the property.”

Stuller’s daughter had plenty of information for her report, and Stuller came away with something, too.

“Walking out of that building, I said to myself, ‘Wow. This building cannot be demolished,’ ” Stuller said. “‘It’s insane. It’s crazy to even think of knocking this building down.'”

“If I’d never seen the inside of the building, I never would have had the emotional connection or architectural historical connection to the building,” Stuller said.

Middletown YMCA has major renovations and larger facilit ahead: 'We have to upgrade everything'

Cassandra Day

MIDDLETOWN — The Northern Middlesex YMCA is getting closer to raising the millions it needs to renovate its historic building, transforming it into a modern, state-of-the-art community center. Ad

The 99 Union St. facility, listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and Middletown’s Historic Properties List, was built in 1928 and last renovated in 1972.

Work will include adding handicap accessibility, moving the entrance near the parking lot, a new elevator, relocating the welcoming center, increasing the wellness, health and fitness areas, and transforming recreation places for youth into something a lot more “friendly,” YMCA President & CEO Michele Rulnick said.

The member child care center for infants and toddlers, which will be located where the front desk is now, will also be made bigger, and security measures will be added.

So far, the All Together Better campaign has garnered about $15 million in state, local and federal money. 

The Y recently received $8 million in state Community Investment Funds, aid the agency applied for three times, Rulnick said.

Staff initially received a $2 million Urban Act Grant from the State Bond Commission.

“That helped us get rolling with the fundraising and was helpful with the state money as well,” Rulnik said.

Last year, a $1.1 million award came in from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Project.

Middletown-based Liberty Bank also donated $1 million toward the campaign last summer. 

“That showed commitment by the community for this project,” Rulnick said. 

In addition, Durham Manufacturing has pledged $200,000, and $100,000 is promised by Pratt & Whitney/RTX.

The Y already has pledges totaling $1.4 million from about 53 members and other benefactors.

“We want to get to about $3 million in philanthropic fundraising,” she said. 

The Y has an online donation campaign at midymca.org/giving.

Because of the building’s historic nature, Rulnick said, it will be eligible for tax credits.

Although the project is estimated to cost between $15 million and $16 million, Rulnick added, “inflation in these construction projects is so significant.”

Other factors play into it, she said.

“When you are doing a project with a lot of state and federal money, it is that much more expensive,” Rulnick added. “There are extra rules you have to follow. You’re talking about prevailing wage, and other things.”

The facility will increase in size by 8,800 square feet.

“We want to touch as much of the footprint of the building as possible,” Rulnick said, “and the more money we raise, the more opportunity we have.”

Work will also be done on the Schwarz men’s residence, including a separate entrance for those living there.

Many historic features of the building will be retained, such as the multiple fireplaces, she said.

The spin and fitness rooms will be moved upstairs, out of the basement.

The hope is to begin the first phase of construction in 2026, while still keeping as many services going as possible, and maintaining safety, she noted.

Another goal is to increase membership by 35%.

More support is still needed, Rulnick said.

“This is a very, very big and expensive building," she said. "We have to upgrade everything, so it’s going to be quite costly to do this right.”

West Haven to close parts of Spring Street to replace the culvert after years of waiting

Brian Zahn

WEST HAVEN — The city expects to close parts of Spring Street this summer as it begins a project to replace a culvert.

Mayor Dorinda Borer announced on Facebook this week that the city procured the funding from the Department of Transportation for the project, a significant stride forward for a project that began in 1999.

City Engineer Abdul Quadir said the project "was ready to go to bid in 2005 but due to lack of funding has been postponed many times."

Borer said in her Facebook post that the city needs to upgrade the stormwater infrastructure and replace the bridge and part of the road.

"These projects are extremely costly but necessary to prevent the corroded road from collapsing," she wrote.

Quadir said the culvert has poor subsurface conditions and extensive piling — the installation of new columns — will be required. The current wooden piles will be replaced, he said. The project will also require the relocation of a number of utilities, including gas, electric and a water main, he said.

He added the delay in having the project funded is in part due to seeking different funding streams; initially with the state funding 32% of the project through a local bridge program. A federal bridge program was then going to cover 80% of the costs with the state providing an additional 10%. Now, the city will fund the project with Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program funds, which supports the entire project besides design costs.

The delays require the city to apply for new permits from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and to modify its design because of new guidelines, Quadir said.

"Costs have escalated and now will be around $3 million depending on the final cost estimate from the Regional Water Agency for water main relocation," he said.

Borer said in her post that the city would share information about detours during construction closer to the project's start date. When presenting the project to the Planning and Zoning Commission last year, Quadir said the construction was expected to be about 150 days.

Stamford residents worry reopening West Main Street bridge could 'disrupt' parts of city

Tyler Fedor

STAMFORD — There just isn't enough green space in the city, said Elizabeth Jenkins-Sahlin. 

That's part of why the Stamford resident isn't in favor of rehabilitating the West Main Street bridge, to allow it to reopen to car and foot traffic. During a Board of Representatives meeting on the project, Jenkins-Sahlin said reopening the bridge could destroy the "tranquility" of nearby Mill River Park.

“I sincerely believe that Mill River Park is one of Stamford's greatest assets,” Jenkins-Sahlin said. “It's a rare walkable, car-free green space that enhances the quality of life for all residents.”

She said adding vehicular traffic to the area would "fundamentally disrupt" the sanctity of the park.

“It's not like we have an abundance of green spaces that are car-free,” Jenkins-Sahlin said. 

She was one of 13 people who spoke during the public comment period at Monday's Board of Reps meeting in favor of keeping the West Main Street bridge closed. 

The board was considering a resolution that supported rehabilitating the existing structure of the West Main Street Bridge, allowing the bridge to reopen to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. 

Eventually, the board unanimously voted to sent the resolution back to its Operation Committee for a public hearing. The hearing will take place during the next Operations Committee meeting March 20.

The rehabilitation of the bridge was estimated to cost $6.7 million, according to a report from construction and engineering firm BL Companies.  

The bridge was built in 1888 and closed to cars in 2002. It deteriorated as lawmakers argued over how to replace it. The city put a prefabricated bridge, which cost $1.6 million and was open to pedestrian traffic only, next to the bridge in 2023 after the original bridge was closed to all traffic.

Multiple representatives during a previous Operations Committee meeting last month, wanted to hold a public hearing on the project. The committee, however, voted 6-3 to move through the resolution on the bridge rehabilitation.  

But at Monday's meeting of the full Board of Representatives, there was strong public opposition to the project.

Michael Moore, president of the Stamford Downtown Special Services District, said bringing more vehicle traffic along West Main Street would “negatively impact the crucial connection between UConn Stamford's residence hall and its campus building.”

He also said he was worried that Augustus Manor, an independent senior housing facility on West Main Street near the bridge, “may feel negative impacts of increased vehicular traffic.” 

He also worried that more eastbound traffic through Main Street in downtown “could threaten the viability of outdoor dining,” which he said became “vitally important” to the restaurants in that area. 

Nette Compton, president and CEO of Mill River Park Collaborative, said she wanted the bridge open to only pedestrian traffic. She said the bridge was a “lifeline” that connected the Whittingham Discovery Center, ice rink, fountain and “our beautiful new inclusive playground” that she said will reopen this summer. 

“But if we allow vehicles back onto this bridge, we're putting that connection and those children at risk,” Compton said. “As a mother, that's something that keeps me up every night.”

Teachers from Hart Magnet Elementary School will walk along the greenway to take their students on field trips to Mill River Park, Compton said. However, she also said those teachers call Stamford police to help them and their students cross Broad Street to go there.

“If we open this bridge to traffic, we're creating another hazard in the heart of a space that is meant for people, not cars,” Compton said. 

Chris Dawson lives in North Stamford and said reopening the bridge to vehicular traffic was “completely unnecessary and fiscally irresponsible,” especially because bridges on Broad Street and Tresser Boulevard are nearby. 

He said he thought the money for the bridge improvements would be better spent on pedestrian infrastructure and that West Side residents he spoke with are “fed up with driver behavior.” 

“I've run all around the West Side for exercise, which has given me a terrifying understanding of the pedestrian dangers throughout the community,” Dawson said. 

In a departure from many of the other speakers, lifelong Stamford resident Cynthia Bowser lives on the West Side and said during the meeting she wanted the bridge to be reopened to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. She said the bridge gave West Side residents access to downtown Stamford when it allowed motorists. 

“We need that bridge open to cars and to people to address the vehicles that come in and out of that area,” Bowser said. 

Portland waste and field remediation company acquired by NJ firm

Andrew Larson

Aprivately held waste remediation company in Portland, RED Technologies LLC, has been acquired by an out-of-state sustainable waste business.

The buyer is Reworld Holding Corp., which is based in Morristown, New Jersey.

RED Technologies is a “profiled waste and field remediation company” that operates a transfer station with on-site rail transloading capabilities.

The facility identifies, sorts and manages or remediates waste streams, including contaminated soils, asbestos, PCBs, and containerized hazardous and non-hazardous waste. It handles more than 300,000 tons of material annually.

RED Technologies also has a fleet of 36 railcars and more than 100 vehicles and pieces of equipment.

The acquisition will strengthen Reworld’s operational and logistical capabilities in the Northeast, according to an announcement.

"Joining Reworld is an exciting step for our team and the communities we serve," said Adam Westhaver, vice president of RED Technologies. "By combining our expertise and services with Reworld, we will enhance our ability to deliver innovative and sustainable waste management solutions."

Reworld said it will leverage the new Portland facility to expand profiled waste services at its nearby facility, Bristol Resource Recovery Facility, previously known as Covanta.