SOUTHINGTON — Town officials are hoping to attract a sports complex to West Queen Street that could provide indoor soccer, football and volleyball along with a restaurant.
The Economic Development Strike Committee, comprised of town councilors and other town officials, voted to send out a request for engineering firms that would provide conceptual plans for the complex at 1601 West St. Thirty-five acres of the more than 100 acres of the Sepko farm property will be used for the complex. Lou Perillo, the town’s economic development coordinator, said the town will do the work of getting approval from the town’s various regulatory boards and commissions for the project. Southington can then provide a company with a site that’s ready to be developed. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
ARTFORD — A proposed $350 million development in the city's downtown north area that includes a minor league baseball stadium would create 1,000 to 1,300 permanent jobs throughout the state, most of those in Hartford County and more than a third in the city, a UConn economist told the city council Thursday. At the peak of construction in 2018, the jobs total would reach 2,000, said Fred Carstensen, an economist hired by the city council. The project would also raise overall personal incomes after taxes by $120 million in the peak year of 2018; the increase would fall, to about $100 million a year as construction winds down in 2020, before rising steadily for the next decade because of inflation. Carstensen noted that the projections are for the equivalent of full-time jobs — positions that are direct, indirect and induced. The project would also generate $30 million to $40 million a year in added income tax revenue between 2018 and 2030. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
HARTFORD — A massive makeover of the decaying Capewell Horse Nail Co. factory is closer than it has been in 20 years, but developers of the $26 million apartment project are still without a key piece of funding. Two bank loan deals fell through in recent months when lenders backed out of closings. One lender was concerned about the extent of the environmental clean-up needed in the brick-and-brownstone building, constructed in 1902. The developer, Corporation for Independent Living, or CIL, has whittled away at the financing gap with one smaller bank loan, but there is still a $6 million shortfall in bank financing."The hole is getting smaller, but we still have to fill that hole," CIL's chief operating officer Kent Schwendy said.Obtaining the rest of the bank financing is crucial because until it is secured, most of the funding for the project, while committed, won't be released to CIL. The funding includes a $5 million mortgage from the Capital Region Development Authority, a state brownfields clean-up loan, plus funds from state and federal historic tax credits. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
CANTON — Developer Allan Borghesi has withdrawn his controversial plan to build an industrial park near Satan's Kingdom on the Farmington River, citing the outpouring of opposition from residents. Borghesi filed a notice with the town on Thursday withdrawing his application to rezone 30 acres, now zoned for residential use, so he could build the industrial park, Town Planner Neil Pade said. Borghesi said he was concerned his request would not be granted by the town's planning and zoning commission. But that is not likely to be the end of the issue. Borghesi owns the property and has said previously that because of his substantial investment, he intends to develop it. Borghesi has said that he could build as many as 22 houses on the property. He said Thursday he is reviewing that idea along with other options, but would not elaborate. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
ANCHESTER — School Superintendent Matthew Geary has scheduled eight information sessions in October on the upcoming school building and renovation referendum.
On Nov. 4, voters will be asked to approve or reject $84.2 million in bonds. With state reimbursement, local taxpayers would be responsible for $37.6 million, officials have said.The districtwide modernization plan includes creation of a fifth- and sixth-grade school, combining Bennet Academy with the Cheney Building, and "like-new" renovations and additions to Verplanck and Waddell elementary schools so that each school could serve up to 525 students. The plan also includes closing Robertson and Washington schools. Town officials are completing an informational brochure on the spending question which will be available to the public by the middle of next week, General Manager Scott Shanley said Thursday. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE