CROMWELL APPROVES FIRST INDUSTRIAL SUBDIVISION IN 15 YEARS

The Planning & Zoning Commission has given final approval to a 13-acre subdivision on Shunpike Road that will create seven new building lots and inaugurate a new era of industrial development. The P&Z action was the final step in the multi-phase regulatory process that also included approvals from the Inland Wetlands Commission and the Water Pollution Control Authority. Implementing a team oriented approach to the process, Public Officials and Town Staff were able to evaluate the applications, ask for changes and grant approvals within 100 days of the first application’s submission.

“The staff and the members of the boards and commissions deserve high praise for their excellent balance of ensuring the public’s welfare and operating in a business friendly manner,” said Economic Development Commission Chair Richard Nobile. “Cooperation and consistency are words I would use to describe the process.”

The property for the new subdivision is located at 233-243 Shunpike Road. Delta Building Corporation, a local builder, is acquiring the 13-acre parcel from Antoinette Garofalo. To facilitate development, the Town has committed $350,000 to provide for road and sewer improvements. The improvements will benefit a larger area previously targeted for industrial development.

“Without the help from the Town, we would not be in a position to move forward with this project,” said Delta Building Corporation President and principal Gary Dayharsh. “Delta is interested in developing Cole’s Brook to open up other parcels for future development and construction opportunities which this project will generate.”

The property has been vacant and unimproved for many years. The infrastructure investment allows this project to go forward now and ultimately facilitates the further development of an additional 60+ adjacent acres and 100+ acres on the eastern side of Shunpike Road.

Further, Cromwell is experiencing an acute shortage of industrial/commercial lots. Recent requests for lot sizes, less than three acres, cannot be satisfied and the businesses have been considering locations in neighboring communities.

The development project has been informally dubbed Coles Brook Commerce Park. The first occupant will be Advanced Copy Technologies, Inc. Currently located at 700 Corporate, a wholesale dealer and service provider of printers, duplicators and copying machines, the firm has outgrown its facility. With twenty employees, additional product lines and a growing business base, the firm was forced to consider out of town relocation sites until this project came along. Growing in Cromwell will mean fourteen new jobs in three years, nearly a million dollars in real property improvements and several hundred thousand dollars in vehicles and equipment. The Board of Selectman granted the firm a tax abatement to ensure that its anticipated $15,000 a year in tax revenue remains in Cromwell.

“The Town of Cromwell has been great for us, our first choice has always been to remain here” said Greg Gondek Advanced Copy’s President.

Timing is a critical factor in the project. Current economic conditions have created a demand for this property, future conditions are uncertain. A recently completed marketability study of the larger project area, of which this parcel is a part, confirms this fact and views the project as a unique development opportunity. Delta has informed the Town that it has commitments, including several deposits, for six of the seven lots.

The potential revenues from taxes on the real property at Cole’s Brook are projected to be approximately $185,000 per year based upon 150,000 square feet of building. This figure can go up or down depending upon the mix of development. It is also possible that it will take up to 3 to 5 years to fully develop the site, although it is anticipated that up to two-thirds development within 18 months of approvals. Indirect tax base revenues generated from Cole’s Brook such as inventory, manufacturing equipment, vehicles, improvements, furniture and fixtures, computers and other personal property will likely equal or exceed the above revenue estimate.

Planning for the remaining 60 acres of developable land on the western side of Shunpike Road is ongoing. The State awarded the Town a $450,000 Small Town Economic Assistance grant for this purpose. The Town has used the funds to conduct planning activities such as the recently completed marketability study. Working with the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, the Town is preparing to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of both the western and eastern sides of Shunpike Road. This evaluation will determine the most appropriate methods for installing roads, sewers and other utilities. The Town is seeking an additional $500,000 in State funds to assist in developing this infrastructure.

“This project and those that follow are the backbone of our future,” said First Selectman Stanley Terry. “We are developing our industrial base and ensuring that Cromwell will continue to provide its citizens a high quality of life at a price that all of us can continue to afford.”