Plans would demolish dilapidated buildings at a now-vacant site in favor of a new, modern restaurant/retail/housing complex.
SOUTHINGTON, CT — Local land-use officials have said "yes" to a plan to build a new, mixed-use building at vacated space in town that will house a restaurant, retail stores, and apartments.
In two separate votes from the Southington Planning and Zoning Commission on July 15, local officials approved a site plan application and a rezoning application to allow for the construction of an 11,460-square-foot, two-story structure at 1608 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike in the Milldale part of town.
The first 7-0 vote allowed for the site to be rezoned from business/industrial to what is called a floating "special design mixed use (SDMU) zone."
This, essentially, allows for the project's retail, restaurant, and housing uses at that location, with the listed applicant being Peter DiClementi, vice president of Beacon Electric out of Milldale, a contractor working on the project.
The second 7-0 vote was for the special permit necessary for the development project, with Bailey Development Group LLC out of Milldale the listed applicant for that.
While no details were revealed as to the identity of the restaurant expected to fill the space, plans submitted to the town indicate interior sit-down seating for 76 patrons.
The restaurant would be close to 2,000 square feet, according to plans submitted to Southington.
During the public hearing on the project on July 15, applicant representative Severino Bovino, vice president of Southington-based Kratzer, Jones & Associates engineers, outlined other project details.
Bovino told the PZC the second-floor residential units would be a combined 9,528 square feet, with eight housing units total.
He said two of those units will be classified as "workforce affordable housing" and come in the form of studio apartments.
The remaining six units would be one-bedroom apartments.
As for the yet-to-be-named restaurant, Bovino said entry would be in the front of the building.
Plans submitted to the town also call for two other, first-level retail tenants in addition to the restaurant.
No discussion was made on the rezone vote, with PZC members enthusiastically endorsing the development project before the site plan permit vote.
Southington PZC Chairman Robert Hammersley said that the parcel has long been on the commission's development wish list and has been for years.
It was once pegged to become a gas station/convenience store, but those plans never materialized.
"I look forward to it coming to fruition finally and having that site fit the potential it previously has," Hammarsley said.
The site has a long history in town, with all buildings currently there having been built before 1990.
It has housed a brick manufacturing site, storefronts, a multi-family house, and other housing units.
This plan, however, would demolish the entire site and build a completely new facility, something that excited PZC members.
"It's going to look really nice, a lot better than what's up there," said Southington PZC member Kat Caird.
For the minutes of the July 15 Southington Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting, click on this link.
For all documents related to the 1608 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike applications, click on this link.