Town of Wethersfield

People's Choice Pizza - 1866 Berlin Turnpike

Plans and a PZC application have been approved to convert this space to a pizza delivery business.

190 Silas Deane Highway - Teddy's Department Store

Plans have been submitted to renovate this space for retail use.

486 Silas Deane Highway - Tim Horton's

A CO has been issued for this project at the corner of Church Street. A grand opening/ribbon cutting has been scheduled for December 6 at 10 am.

Metropolitan Furniture Store - Former Block Buster Video - Silas Deane Highway

Discussed possible reuse of a vacant commercial space with prospective retail tenant.

121 Main Street - Rainbow Center

Plans and an application have been approved to renovate the second floor of this building to office space and to construct additional on-site parking.

Church Homes - Ridge Road

A Zone Change application has been approved for this site to permit the development of plan for Phase 2 of this project which would add an additional 17 1-story units to the rear of the property. On Friday June 30 a ribbon cutting was held for the first 2 model units opened as part of this project.

54 Beaver Road - Michael Orsini

The PZC has approved plans to renovate this building to accommodate a small electrical and plumbing contractor business.

1260 Silas Deane Highway - Hartford Medical Group

Construction is underway for an addition to this building.

1105 Silas Deane Highway - Sake Café Japanese Restaurant

Renovation is underway to renovate this space into an Hibachi style Japanese restaurant.

884 Silas Deane Highway - City Fish

Construction is underway to add some office space, enclose the loading dock and add some inside and outside seating.

Folly Brook Commons - Folly Brook/Spruce Street

A building permit application has been filed and site work is underway for the first 4 unit building of this 12 unit 55 and over condominium project.

150 Hartford Avenue - New England Retail Properties

This building has recently been sold and interior renovations are underway for this office tenant.

61 Arrow Road - Crane America

A building permit application has been filed for an office space at this building.

2138 Berlin Turnpike - Restaurant Renovation

Plans have been filed to renovation this buffet style restaurant to a hibachi style restaurant.

25 Wells Road - TD Banknorth

Design Review and the PZC have approved plans for an addition, exterior and interior renovation of this building for the bank. A new façade, roof line and landscaping are all planned.

91 Nott Street - Stillman Walk

A zone change and site plan application have been approved for this site for 22, 55 and over single family style homes has been approved.

Harris Property - Old Reservoir Road/Back Lane

The appeal of the PZC zone change approval was recently dismissed.

Masonic Hall - Main Street

A preliminary discussion was held with representatives of the property owner to renovate this vacant building into 4 residential condominium units.

• Met with engineers and attorneys representing a banking client looking to renovate a site for a new branch bank location in Town.
• Discussed plans with retail business owner looking at space in the Goff Brook Shops.
• Met with representative of potential restauranteur looking to renovate building for restaurant.
• Discussed plans with developer interested in site for high density, high rise multi family residential project.
• Discussed potential renovation of space for hardware store.
• Discussed the potential for an additional industrial/ storage building at 61 Arrow Road.

• A preliminary plan from DeCarlo and Doll for the redesign of the Church Street/Silas Deane Highway Intersection has been received and is being reviewed by Town Staff. DECD has indicated that it is likely that portions of our STEAP funds could be used for these improvements. A meeting was held on November 15 with Conn Dot staff to discuss concept plan.
• A flyer announcing the availability of the Silas Deane Highway Façade Program has been mailed to all businesses and property owners on the Silas Deane Highway. Several inquiries have been received and 1 application has been submitted. An article appeared in the Hartford Courant announcing the availability of these funds and we have written an article that will be placed in the Chamber newsletter which we hope will go to print in November.
• A revised budget agreement with the State DECD has been executed in regards to our second $500,000 STEAP Grant.
• The Redevelopment Agency has begun the process to review and discuss to potential redevelopment opportunities on the Silas Deane Highway.
• We are investigating possible funding availability through CRCOG and Ct Transit for new bus shelters along the SDH.

Economic Development and Improvement Commission

• We are now working with Keiler and Co., from Farmington, Conn. on our public relations and marketing services. The first initiative underway is to review and recommend changes to the Town's website, a preliminary report was provided to the EDIC in early September.
• The 2006 Business Survey has been compiled and will be presented to the Council at their November 20 meeting.
• Continuing to work with business beautification loan recipients for the 2 approved loans made by the EDIC; 80 Garden Street and 685 Wolcott Hill Road. We closed on our first loan for 136 Main Street - Ascot Catering. We were advised that we will receive an additional $200,000 in State funds for the façade program.
• The 2006 Salute To Business event to be held on December 7 at the Country Club. We have determined our award winners and are also recognizing businesses that have been in existence for 50+ years. Invites were mailed out this past week.
• A flyer advertising additional available funds for the business beautification program has been mailed out to the business community. 2 additional loan applications has been received. Several conversations have been held about other possible project funding.

Tourism

• Working with the Hartford Business Journal for ad placement in the next edition of the Greater Hartford Hotel Guest Guide. This hard cover publication highlights the places and things to do in the Hartford area and is placed in over 5,000 rooms in the region and is viewed by over 1.2 million visitors annually.
• A brochure is being prepared for the promotion of the Wethersfield Trolley and a listing of a possible itinerary and contact information for group tour planners is also being prepared.
• Working with the GHCVB on an ad to be placed in the 2007 Greater Hartford Visitor Guide.
• Putting the finishing touches on a compilation of responses to our first visitor survey.

Redevelopment Agency

• The Agency has met 4 times over the past few months and is attempting to meet every other week in order to get up to speed with the work completed to date. The agency has been inviting a number of guest speakers to their meetings in the areas of Finance, Legal, Ethics, Redevelopment etc… The agency has scheduled a bus tour of potential redevelopment sites in order to familiarize themselves with these properties.

Preserve America

• The committee has been meeting on a regular basis and has completed the task of reviewing the responses to our RFP. The Committee interviewed several firms and has recommended awarding the contract to John Milner and Associates (JMA) West Chester, Pennsylvania. We would like to hold the first information meeting in early December.

We are presently working on the following grants:

• Preserve America Historic Wethersfield Master Plan Grant ($50,000).
• Silas Deane Highway STEAP 1 to be used for planning, engineering, streetscape and façade improvements ($500,000).
• Silas Deane Highway STEAP 2 to be used for streetscape improvements ($500,000).
• Business Beautification Loan Program ($200,000) STEAP 3.
• Historic Preservation Technical Assistance Grant for a web based data management system for the Historic District ($6,000).