SOUTHINGTON — Developer and downtown property owner Mathew Florian bought the Factory Square complex on Center Street for $1.58 million earlier this month.
He purchased the property on Dec. 1 from Factory Square Realty LLC, a company whose principals include Edmund Donovan and Roy Florian. The former factory complex at 168 Center St. is appraised at $1.5 million, according to town records. It’s a 3.5-acre property with buildings totaling 116,000 square feet.
Factory Square is home to a host of businesses in addition to the Greater Southington Chamber of Commerce. Executive Director Liz Francis said the chamber and other tenants were notified of the sale and planned improvements.
“He has an interest in doing some structural updates to the building,” she said.
Mathew Florian could not be reached for comment Thursday.
“Mat has great judgment with properties and enhancing them,” Francis said. “All his buildings have a very high-quality look to them.”
Factory Square is across the street from the planned 14-acre Greenway Commons project, the site of the former Ideal Forging building that was demolished this year. Work had been delayed for years due to the economic slump, according to property owners, but in the past few months has moved forward. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
In addition, the committee is finalizing a construction management contract with Gilbane Inc., the same firm that oversaw the $39 million renovation and expansion of the high school.
Residents overwhelmingly approved the elementary school project at a spring referendum. Committee Chairman Rob Marseglia said the initial plan was to wait for state reimbursement to be approved next June and then begin the design process. This would have meant the project would be completed in the fall of 2019.
But by beginning the design process now while the state is reviewing the town’s application, the project could be completed in the fall of 2018.
Because construction costs are expected to increase 5 percent a year, shortening the time frame will save between $2 and $3 million.
Marseglia said the project architect, DRA Associates, said there is low risk of beginning the design now because the state traditionally meets it obligations for school construction funding. He added DRA told the committee the strategy is used by many towns to save money.
“We’re trying to be smart with the money that the taxpayers entrusted us to spend,” he said. “If we can return that money to the town we will.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Ponemah Mills site plan extended
NORWICH — Developers working on a multi-million dollar project to convert Ponemah Mills into an affordable housing complex were given a five-year site plan extension by city officials on Thursday. And, an attorney representing the companies carrying out the $28 million venture said, environmental remediation at the 607 Norwich Ave. property has been completed after two years.“It’s probably the biggest development project in recent Norwich history, so it’s a big deal,” William Sweeney told the Commission on the City Plan after they unanimously approved the updated site plans that are now valid through 2020. Hackensack, N.J.-based Onekey LLC is managing construction of a multi-phase development that will create 314 affordable and market-rate housing units in five buildings across the Ponemah Mills complex. Company officials say phase one, which includes 116 apartments, should be ready for occupancy by early 2017. Peter Davis, Norwich’s director of planning and neighborhood services, told the Commission on the City Plan reauthorizing the plan was a “housekeeping item” necessary under zoning regulations. Financing for the development has come from several sources: $4.97 million from the state Department of Housing, $8.25 million from the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority in the form of tax-exempt bonds and $1 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credit proceeds. The city is supporting redevelopment of the mill with a 15-year tax abatement, and the project is also set to receive federal and state historic tax credits as well as 4 percent low-income housing tax credit proceeds. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Newington Approves $2,000 To Test Soil At Deming-Young Farm
NEWINGTON — The Newington town council moved Tuesday to settle long-standing allegations that topsoil was taken from the town-owned Deming-Young Farm property and debris-contaminated soil was left behind.
The council voted unanimously to hire an expert to test soil from the site used last year to store construction equipment and compare it with soil taken from elsewhere on the property.
Mayor Roy Zartarian said council members want to resolve claims by the former property owner and some town officials that topsoil was removed and never returned and that the restored soil contains unacceptable levels of rocks, asphalt and other debris.
"This has been a lot of discussion," Zartarian said. "There has been a lot of concern over it. We think getting this kind of test will put the problem to rest once and for all."The contractor, the Metropolitan District, which hired the company for a piping project, has repeatedly denied that topsoil was improperly taken away or significant amounts of debris were left in the restored soil.
The council allocated up to $2,000 for the testing.
After the vote, MDC assistant counsel Christopher Stone, who attended the council meeting, called the testing unnecessary. "We think it's money that shouldn't be spent, but they've decided to spend it," Stone said. "It's their property." Asked his reaction to Stone's comment, Zartarian responded, "He's entitled to his opinion." Ed Young, whose family owned and farmed the property before selling it to the town, has repeatedly alleged that he witnessed dump trucks hauling away topsoil from the property. He has complained about debris on the site and called for testing.
Deputy Mayor Maureen Klett and Majority Leader Beth DelBuono have said they have found excess debris on the parcel. "I think we finally decided the only way to resolve this is to get some soil samples," Klett said. "The bottom line is if you walk the property, there's a lot of stuff."
But Stone and Victor Serrambana Jr., owner of VMS Construction, which was contracted for the pipe work, said Tuesday they have not found excessive amounts of debris on the site despite having returned to the site several times since September to address the complaints. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Aldermanic panel tables Hill land agreement in New Haven
NEW HAVEN >> A joint aldermanic committee Thursday tabled any action on a proposed new land agreement for parcels in the Hill neighborhood that was expected to lead to a $100 million development, until the neighbors have more of a say. The committee also tabled a zone change from BA to BD3 that would have allowed denser development and taller structures near the Route 34 corridor, but lower requirements for residences. A public hearing on a proposal to give alders a vote on institutional parking plans that officials feared would be challenged in the court, has been rescheduled to Dec. 30.
Randy Salvatore from Stamford, at the city’s request, became a partner with Cliff Winkle in an updated development agreement that would bring 140 apartments with first-floor retail, offices and possibly more biotech labs to some 20 acres in the Hill that now is a sea of parking lots in a zone that would limit his options.
Winkle has had the development rights for decades after constructing a number of structures for Yale University on adjacent properties. Unlike the original deal, Salvatore would have paid some $1.25 million to the city for the property that would have been sold for $150,000.
His plan was to convert the Prince School to housing, salvage some parts of the Welch Annex School and replace it with more residences, 10 percent of which would be affordable if the city could identify funds to help him. The other portions were less fleshed out, but he needed the zone change to move forward.
The developer had promised to work with St. Anthony’s Church to replace the parking spaces it now uses on the city’s land in a longtime informal deal.
Salvatore, who recently finished construction of the Novella apartments on Dwight and Chapel streets and will convert the closed C. Cowles Co. factory in Wooster Square to apartments, was taken aback by the committee’s vote. “I’m very disappointed,” Salvatore said as he left the meeting. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE