Developer pitches Stamford high-rise to replace industrial South End lot: ‘The area is changing’

Verónica Del Valle

STAMFORD — A real estate developer wants to turn the dregs of the South End’s industrial past into the area’s latest high-rise at 441 Canal St.

“We think of it as a site that is a gateway to the South End,” the developer’s attorney William Hennessey told the Zoning Board Monday.

Heyman Properties proposed 401 apartments in all, with 429 corresponding parking spaces. On the ground floor, 441 Canal will feature over 7,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Hennessey said the hope is to attract a small eatery, something convenient for residents “while at the same being attractive to the public.”

A few blocks north, other buildings have executed similar efforts. Luxury apartment building Urby houses the coffee shop Roost, and attached to the Ferguson Library is Winfield Street Coffee. Both spots serve beer and wine on top of the typical cafe fares, and Hennessey described a similar vision for the perspective building.

The parcel fronts Dock Street to the north, John Street to the west and Canal Street to the east. It sits half a mile away from the Stamford Transportation Center, putting it within the bounds of Stamford’s transit-oriented development district.

While the proposal is for one structure on four consolidated lots, the building presents itself as two. In the mockups, the tower starts out stout and shrouded by trees. A public plaza sits on one side. After the eighth floor, it splits into two sections — each 18 stories high.

The “highly stylized” retail space, as Hennessey described it, and the proposed public plaza in front are both functions of the location. Because it is within walking distance of the train station and in such a visible place, making the streetscape as appealing as possible became a priority, Hennessey said.

The South End’s main streets all coverage at the proposed development site, Hennessey explained, which he said underscored the developer’s “responsibility on the site to do something that is a little bit different.” He also doubled down on 441 Canal as a “gateway” parcel for the community.

Gateways are nothing new for the neighborhood. The word became synonymous with development in the South End more than 10 years ago, when developer Building and Land Technology sought approvals to build the long-debated Gateway site, now the Stamford home for Charter Communications.

Negative impact or ‘much-needed improvement’?

Though Heyman Properties sees prime real estate, manufacturers have traditionally defined this area — like much of the South End. The site was once used as a lumber yard. Steel-framed buildings housed a bank, plus an antique gallery and homewares store in more recent years. Nearby, industrial uses persist.

“A few hundred feet down Canal Street is the junkyard and transfer station and asphalt plant, and across the canal is the city’s sewage treatment plant,” pointed out South End activist Sue Halpern during the public comment session Monday. Halpern argued that the nearby uses posed threats to future residents. The environmental remediation necessary to build on the 441 Canal site, she said, would negatively impact the air quality for current ones.

But where Halpern saw the dangers of industry, other South Enders saw an opportunity to clean it up.

City Rep. Terry Adams, D-3, called the proposal “a much-needed improvement” over the antique sellers that crowded the block before and could facilitate a pedestrian connection between Downtown and his constituency. And though fellow South End activist Sheila Barney expressed concerns over the overall state of development in the neighborhood, she agreed that the Canal project could bring forth a new era for the community.

“The area is changing,” Barney said. She noted that industrial companies like trash hauler B&S Carting had left the neighborhood as development encroached. Maybe more residential construction in places like 441 Canal could bring about a cleaner South End, she said.

If approved, Hennessey said he expects construction to take around 30 months, pushing the completion date at a minimum into late 2024.

The Zoning Board will discuss the proposal for 441 Canal St. and the corresponding zoning map proposed by the developer again at its May 9 meeting.

Norwalk plans $600K sidewalk project near three schools

Abigail Brone

NORWALK — Two schools along Highland Avenue are set to receive sidewalk makeovers before the fall.

Last month, the city released a Request for Proposals for a company to complete the curbing and sidewalks along Highland Avenue, in front of three of the city’s public schools.

With the bidding period closed Monday, the city received three bids on the project, Transportation, Parking and Mobility Department Director Jim Travers said.

The project is estimated to cost between $600,000 and $650,000, as part of the federal Safe Routes to School transportation program, Travers said.

“This has been a priority for the administration and department for some time. For several years, we proportionally requested capital funding and each year the department requested $225,000 for Safe Routes to School,” Travers said. “We look for these funds to look at improved sidewalks to schools, other infrastructure investments, whether that be flashing signs, better crossings.”

For three years, the $225,000 appropriated for Safe Routes to School was saved to be used on the Highland Avenue sidewalk project, Travers said.

Safe Routes to School is a program run by the U.S. Department of Transportation that encourages infrastructure changes that make it easier for students to walk to and from school each day, increasing childhood health and decreasing environmental impact, according to the U.S. DOT.

With the Bike/Walk Commission, Travers and his department viewed Highland Avenue as a priority for repaving.

Along 1 mile of Highland Avenue, there is Brookside Elementary School, Brien McMahon High School and Roton Middle School. The sidewalks connecting the three schools will be repaved.

The new sidewalks will run from the intersection of Meredith Court and Highland Avenue to the intersection of Charcoal Road and Highland Avenue, ending shortly before Roton Middle School, according to the RFP.

The sidewalk in front of Roton was not included in the project as new sidewalk was installed on that strip a few years ago, Travers said.

“So, it’ll be one continuous stretch of new sidewalk. More importantly for Highland, it’s connecting three schools on the street,” Travers said.

The curbing and sidewalk work will be conducted between June 20 and Aug. 19, in time for the start of the 2022-23 school year, according to the RFP.

The city will ensure an entrance to each school will be available during the construction, Travers said.

“We have been in contact with all three schools to let them know. We are coordinating the day when school is out,” Travers said. “If we do sidewalks through schools, we will do half at a time to never block access into school. We will work with every property owner and schools for anything. We don’t want this to be massively disruptive, but we really believe the benefit will be worth it.”

The new sidewalk and curb designs will include updated accessibility ramps and pavement signage preventing drivers from blocking ramps and crosswalks, Travers said.

Bike lanes along the avenue will be widened as well, making for safer sidewalks as distance is added between drivers and the sidewalk, Travers said.

The project was in the works for a while before Travers and his team completed the design and brought the project to fruition, city spokesperson Michelle Woods Matthews said.

Winsted Town Manager presents road plan to zoning commission

Emily M. Olson

WINSTED — Town Manager Josh Kelly presented an 8-24 application to the Planning & Zoning Commission Monday, bringing the town’s $15.3 million road improvement project one step closer to starting later this year.

The commission unanimously approved Kelly’s 8-24 application, which is part of the process to apply for loans and a requirement for municipal projects.

Kelly and Public Works Director Jim Rollins first presented the road improvement plan in January. The plan at that time also included an additional $3 million to be borrowed for drainage improvements around Highland Lake and a new ladder truck for the Winsted Fire Department.

Since then, after receiving borrowing advice from the town’s bond counsel, Kelly changed the plan to bond the road projects and presented a new one that includes Winsted’s $6 million Hinsdale School renovation project, which the town begins repaying this year.

The total $24.7 million bonding proposal was approved by the Board of Selectmen April 18 and is going to a town meeting and referendum in May.

“We need an 8-24 review done by your board tonight, and have it sent back to the Board of Selectmen,” Kelly said. “If you don’t approve it tonight, we’ll have to reschedule our town meeting (on May 24) and referendum.”

“We’ll have a full panel of individuals who know these projects, to discuss them at the town meeting. That will adjourn to a referendum,” Kelly said. “Hopefully the referendum will be part of the town budget (vote) on May 28. But if you think you need more time, we’ll have to reschedule.”

Kelly reminded the commission that the road improvement project was first brought to the selectmen in December, but that former town manager Robert Geiger had talked about it for at least four years. Kelly began his role as town manager last August, after Geiger retired.

“Our first presentation was about investment in our roads, and on average, Winsted has invested under $800,000 annually in road work. If we continue with our current approach, it will take a very long time,” Kelly said. “But if we borrow, we can get a lot more done.”

Rollins also reviewed the list of roads to be repaired, which have been devided into five separate projects.

The areas to be included in the road improvement plan are western Winsted, including Hannafin and Upland roads and Hubbard and Marshal streets. In the Main Street corridor area, they include Case Avenue, the Case Avenue bridge, Elm and Spring streets.

For Highland Lake, the roads in need of repair include West Wakefield Blvd., Lake Street and the Taylor Brook bridge. Winchester Center’s roads included are the Mad River bridge, Grantville, Newfield, South and Wahnee Roads. In eastern Winsted, the roads listed are Holabird, Moore and Oakdale avenues, and Whiting Street. Kelly said the list totals 9.47 miles, or 12 percent of Winsted’s roads.

“We had to start with a roadway’s condition, safety conditions, its liability to the town, and what specific problems it has, like drainage failure,” Rollins said. “We don’t want to use capital project money for this kind of work. It’s too much for our operating budget.”

Norwich school renovation project options being considered

Claire Bessette

Norwich — A plan to overhaul the city’s schools — with three existing elementary schools being considered for renovation and expansion, along with a possible fourth, new school — is starting to come into focus.

The School Building Committee earlier this month narrowed its focus on two possible options for elementary schools, which were presented to residents at a public forum Tuesday. One would renovate and expand the John B. Stanton Elementary, Moriarty Environmental Sciences Magnet and Uncas Elementary schools, each to house about 700 students in preschool through fifth grade. A second option would keep those three schools and build one new elementary school, with all four housing about 550 students each.

The Veterans Memorial and Thomas W. Mahan elementary schools would be closed. Administrative offices would be moved to the historical Samuel Huntington School, and the Wequonnoc School in Taftville could be retained as a virtual learning center but would need major renovations to meet federal accessibility standards for people with disabilities.

As the committee was prepared to vote at its April 19 meeting to direct architectural firm Drummey Rosane Anderson Inc., or DRA Architects, to focus on the two possible scenarios, members decided to delay the vote until Tuesday’s public forum to hear residents’ input. The committee also looked at keeping all seven existing elementary school buildings with about 300 students each.

About 15 people attended Tuesday’s forum and workshop — most of them building committee and City Council members, along with some school staff and parents.

James Barrett, principal of DRA, said the team toured all schools last summer, assessed their condition, renovation needs and feasibility of keeping those buildings. He said the group is collecting all that information and is beginning to form the plan. Within the next two months, the firm will finalize its recommendations and lay out options for the School Building Committee.

DRA’s evaluation of population age groups in Norwich showed enrollment is expected to remain stable for the next 10 years. High levels of enrollment in past decades have left the city with more building capacity than students, Barrett said.

Poster boards lined the Kelly Middle School community room for Tuesday’s forum, one with photos and information for each of the district’s 14 buildings and others with city demographic information, enrollment and responses to surveys of students and teachers.

In evaluating the buildings, the group studied exterior condition, access, traffic flow and parking, while with interiors, DRA officials evaluated mechanics, classroom size, layout, cafeteria space and technology.

During the workshop portion of Tuesday’s forum, participants were asked their own assessments of the school building needs.

Parent Mary Pollard said she is familiar with almost all city school buildings, and “getting kids in and out of the schools” can be a nightmare, especially at Moriarty and Wequonnoc schools. Pollard said she loves how the Wequonnoc School is so tied to the Taftville neighborhood, with many walkers and parents and students walking to school events together. But she said it’s dangerous with so many children crossing busy Providence Street.

Parent Jessica Quay said the building committee should not forget the outdated and rundown playgrounds at all schools that need upgrades.

Alderman Derell Wilson said districtwide, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act is critical in all school buildings, especially those with upper floors.

The committee hopes to present a proposed plan to overhaul the city’s schools to the City Council for approval and be ready in time to place a referendum question on the ballot for the Nov. 8 election. But committee members said Tuesday the group likely will not be ready in time to meet that goal.

Brownfields draw more attention as industrial development options dwindle

Michael Puffer

olluted by more than a century of metal manufacturing, the 17.4-acre former Anamet manufacturing campus near the center of Waterbury has sat abandoned and decaying for nearly two decades, visited mostly by homeless individuals, drug users and vandals.

The city of Waterbury and state have poured more than $5 million into cleaning and preparing the property for reuse, much of it going into demolition of crumbling buildings. An additional $4 million in state brownfield grants has been earmarked for continued cleanup.

The city issued a request for proposals April 11, seeking a user or developer to buy or lease the property. Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary said he believes the state’s hot industrial market, coupled with tight statewide inventory, will draw more investor interest to brownfield sites like Anamet.

“We think there is a significant amount of interest on that piece [of land],” even though it has a long way to go before it can be redeveloped, O’Leary said.

Industrial real estate brokers and others say they are seeing a greater willingness from developers to look at brownfield properties, but they remain a challenge.

“Developers — and end users to a degree — but developers specifically are taking a harder look at these types of properties,” said Kyle Roberts, first vice president of brokerage firm CBRE.

Roberts said CBRE is currently floating potential brownfield redevelopments to Scannell Properties, the Indiana-based industrial builder and investor that has been one of the most active logistics space developers around Greater Hartford.

The shrinking number of industrial development sites left throughout the Northeast is further exacerbated by the growing reluctance of some communities to allow further warehouse development, Roberts noted.

But brownfield remediation costs are so high, they typically must be borne by someone other than the developer or end user to make a project feasible, Roberts said. That hasn’t changed.

Urban opportunities

At Waterbury’s Anamet site, the city will leave standing a single, 220,000-square-foot industrial building with 40-foot-high ceilings. Local taxpayers invested $2.7 million repairing the roof to preserve the building for reuse.

The city is seeking a developer, even as it continues the remaining cleanup, to speed up the redevelopment timeline, said Thomas Hyde, interim director of the Waterbury Development Corp. and CEO of the Naugatuck Valley Development Corp.

Several would-be users and developers have toured the site, including a couple that flew in to see it, Hyde said.

Developer interest grew, he added, after Amazon recently announced plans to locate nearby a massive regional distribution center on a roughly 150-acre site straddling the Waterbury and Naugatuck town line. Located at the crossroads of Interstates 84 and Route 8, Waterbury is closer to the Port of New York and New Jersey than northern Connecticut towns that have been the focus of logistics development in recent years.

Much of that Greater Hartford activity has been spurred by the availability of affordable, flat agricultural land that has no past industrial pollution.

With officials and residents in some Greater Hartford towns now contemplate stronger restrictions on logistics projects, O’Leary said he believes developers might look for alternatives in places like Waterbury.

Waterbury and other Connecticut cities have long struggled with the specters of their manufacturing pasts; large properties otherwise ripe with industrial potential often sit idle for years, or even decades, due to the costs of clearing pollution. The state has responded with significant cleanup subsidies, but the cost uncertainties continue to serve as a disincentive to brownfield investment, experts said.

Cleanup costs

Frank H. Hird, vice president of O,R&L Commercial in Rocky Hill, said the hot industrial market has “absolutely” spurred more interest in environmentally-challenged sites.

“I can’t give you a percentage, but it is absolutely increasing,” Hird said.

Cities generally allow denser development, a higher building-to-land coverage ratio and greater access to sewer and water service than suburban sites, Hird noted.

Hird said he recently had a single buyer lay claim to two large industrial properties, leaving him with little inventory left to offer.

Art Ross, senior managing director of the industrial practice group for Newmark, agreed tight industrial inventory is bound to increase interest in brownfield sites.

Ross said he recently narrowly missed a brownfield redevelopment deal in Connecticut. He said the transaction faltered when the past owner and prospective buyer couldn’t agree on how to divide roughly $10 million in known cleanup costs. The developer was willing to take on future unknown liabilities, Ross noted.

Ross said Connecticut’s Transfer Act, which requires property sellers to confirm that there have been no prior hazardous waste spills on-site, remains a powerful disincentive to reuse sites with pollution histories. However, Connecticut policymakers have set into motion a process to ease those environmental restrictions.

Alexandra Daum, deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), noted state lawmakers and the administration have authorized spending $50 million on brownfield grants over the next two fiscal years.

“That is representative of how committed we are — both DECD and the administration in general — to brownfields remediation as a tool of economic development,” Daum said.

Past cleanups have resulted in an array of uses, Daum said. Industrial uses are “a great option” because the cleanup standards are lighter than other types of development, she said. State economic development authorities haven’t been deluged with additional interest in brownfield redevelopments, but builders are more willing to consider these sites, she said.

“Previously it was: ‘I want a clean site, I want perfect highway access, I want a huge site, utilities perfectly connected – everything,’ ” Daum said. “That’s still the first call people make, … but I think we are seeing a bit more flexibility and open-mindedness about considering sites that aren’t perfect.”

Brownfields still have challenges and limitations, especially in terms of project complexity, time and cost, Daum acknowledged. The state’s brownfield programs offer cleanup subsidies of up to $4 million, but each funding round is limited to $2 million grants.

That means developers or municipalities need to apply through at least two different grant funding rounds to get the maximum award. It also takes time, and great expense, to identify areas of pollution, get cleanup plans approved and then certify it has been done correctly.

“If you have a tenant that needs to be in [a location] in six months, a brownfield is probably not the right site,” Daum said. “But there are a lot of enterprising, risk-taking investors out there who might want to clean up a site knowing there will be a use for that tenant they are confident will exist three years from now.”