Town of Wethersfield

54 Beaver Road - Michael Orsini

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

54 Beaver Road - The Black Cup

A Certificate of Occupancy should be issued shortly for a new coffee shop.

286 Silas Deane Highway - Express Dental Lab

On Dec. 12 a Certificate of occupancy was issued for the renovation of this building for a small dental laboratory.

58 Maple Street - Woods Gutter Company

A small gutter company has opened in the rear of this building.

1105 Silas Deane Highway - Sake Café Japanese Restaurant

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

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 - 295 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.

1260 Silas Deane Highway - Hartford Medical Group

Construction is underway for an addition to this building.

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.

91 Nott Street - Stillman Walk

Site work is underway at the site of this 22 unit, 55 and over single family style housing development.

200 Silas Deane Highway - Rocky's Ace Hardware

On Dec. 19 a building permit was applied for the renovation of this vacant 16,000 s.f. storefront for a new hardware store. The tenant is a New England based chain of Ace Hardware Stores based in Springfield, Massachusetts.

1273 Silas Deane Highway (Goff Brook Shoppes) - Wiggles & Giggles

Interior renovations are underway to remodel this vacant space into a scrapbook center. They are presently located in Rocky Hill.

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.

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.

Discussing possible retail/wholesale contractor supply business for a site on Berlin Turnpike.

Looking for site for industrial concern.

Met with CREC school for possible expansion to site on Progress Drive.

Continuing to work with restaurant chain for possible site on Silas Deane Highway.

• On November 30 we met with DeCarlo and Doll to review the revised plans for the redesign of the Church Street/Silas Deane Highway Intersection.
• 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. We have received 1 application which is presently being reviewed and have discussed potential applications with 6 other property owners.
• A revised budget agreement with the State DECD has been executed in regards to our second $500,000 STEAP Grant.
• We are investigating possible funding availability through CRCOG and Ct Transit for new bus shelters along the SDH. Several possible designs have been submitted by DeCarlo and Doll and will be working with Rocky Hill on final selection.

Economic Development and Improvement Commission

• We continue to work with Keiler and Co., from Farmington, Conn. on our public relations and marketing services. Held conference call on December 20 and are waiting for draft recommendations.
• The 2006 Business Survey has been compiled and was presented to the Council at their November 20 meeting. A subsequent presentation was made at the December 7 Salute To business. Copies of the report are available in the Planning and Economic Development Department and on the Town's website.
• Continuing to work with potential business beautification loan recipients for the loan program. 2 additional loan applications have been received. Several conversations have been held about other possible project funding.
• Gearing up to restart the business visitation program. We have revisited the original program and will start up visitations in January.
• Preparing a year end annual report to highlight activity that has occurred in 2006.

Website

On December 14 staff participated in a conference call with Keiler and Co. to discuss re-imaging the Town's website and improving its functionality. We are expecting a revised draft of this work during the first week of January.

Historic Preservation Technical Assistance Grant - Historic District Commission

The Town has received a grant from the Connecticut Trust For Historic Preservation to assist in the creation of a website that will house all of the HDC permit records, facts, figures and photographs of all of the buildings in the District. On December 21 staff coordinated a meeting between the Historic District Commission, the Town's IT Department and the Assistant to the Town Manager for the purpose of identifying the steps needed to complete this project.

Salute To Business

Approximately 140 people attended the event held on Dec. 7 and recognition was provided to 22 businesses and organizations. In addition the Commission recognized member Joe Cornelio with a proclamation for his contributions to the Commission.

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.
• Setting up meeting with Convention Center staff in Wethersfield to formalize the promotion of Historic Wethersfield to convention planners.

Redevelopment Agency

• On November 21 the Agency members were taken on a tour of the commercial districts in Town for the purpose of observing potential redevelopment sites. Staff have been assembling facts and figures regarding these sites for consideration by the Agency. The agency met on November 21, December 6 and December 20.

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 have scheduled the next meeting for January 11 at the Keeney Center.

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).