Alzheimer’s Facility Joins Development at Exit 56

A 64-bed memory care facility for Alzheimer’s patients is slated for construction along Route 1, not far from the new U.S. Army Reserve Training Center and near a proposed site for the Costco complex. 

The project was unanimously approved by Branford’s Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) following a public hearing Thursday. The one-story building will be owned and operated by Artis Senior Living, which is based in Virginia.

In other business Thursday, the P&Z (pictured) discussed a request by Stony Creek Brewery to allow food trucks in the parking lot along Indian Neck Avenue.

Memory Care

John Zyrlis Jr., site planner at TPA Design Group in New Haven (pictured above), said the memory care facility will serve patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s and dementia. The staff will number about 18.

“There is obviously a need for these kinds of facilities,” said Interim Town Planner Rich Stoecker. He said the proposal was “an excellent plan that was well-thought out.”

Artis Senior Living is under contract to purchase the 3-acre property, which is currently owned by Donald Hayden, who once operated a factory there. The site is located at 814 East Main St., across from the United Methodist Church.

The new Army Reserve Training Center is being constructed along that section of Route 1 on a portion of the Bittersweet Farm property. It is anticipated that the proposed Costco complex at Exit 56 will include entry roads on Route 1. 

Zyrlis said the company met with personnel from Evergreen Woods, a retirement community that is adjacent to the property. Evergreen Woods provides a range of options from independent living to skilled nursing care. Zyrlis said he received good feedback from Evergreen Woods officials. “They were very enthusiastic about this. It would complement their development,” he said.

The 32,000-square-foot building will be surrounded by walkways, courtyards and patios. There will be 36 parking spaces in front of the building and the entire site will be landscaped.  The lower portion of the building’s exterior will be stone, and the upper part will be vinyl siding.

Zyrlis said fencing will be installed around the property out of concern for the safety of Alzheimer’s patients, who have a tendency to wander.

“We’re entirely enclosed,” he said, adding that the fence will be 7-feet high with an additional 1-foot high lattice-work section at the top.

Town regulations typically call for a maximum height of 6-feet of fencing, depending on certain conditions.  Stoecker said the developer will need to apply for a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals for the areas where the fencing will be higher than allowed. 

The P&Z commission asked the developer to install public sidewalks along the front perimeter of the property. The commission has been promoting the addition of public sidewalks for most new developments and major renovations.

During the public comment period, two residents asked questions about fencing, drainage and parking. Zyrlis addressed their concerns.

The P&Z gave a green-light to the project, which has already been approved by the Inland Wetlands Commission, and by the Water Pollution Control Authority.

Other Projects on Tap

The P&Z approved a request Thursday that allows food trucks in the parking lot at the Stony Creek Brewery, which is under construction on Indian Neck Road.

“The food trucks are being added as an amenity to the patrons,” said Gregg Burton (pictured), an attorney with Carmody, Torrance, Sandak and Hennessey.

The Stony Creek Brewery, located along the Branford River, is expected to open in the spring. A ground-breaking ceremony was held in July.

Burton said the food trucks would be for brewery patrons, not the general public.

Ellsworth McGuigan, who chairs the P&Z, asked how they would prevent people from stopping at the food trucks on their way to fishing or boating.

“We can’t stop them from doing that…but we’re not encouraging it,” Burton said.

“All we want to do is provide a service for people who come to the brewery,” said Manny Rodriguez, brewery manager.

McGuigan said at previous public hearings, the brewery owners said they wanted to promote partnerships with area restaurants, since there will be no restaurant facilities at the brewery. He asked if having food trucks there would offer competition to the existing restaurants in the area.

Rodriguez said the local restaurants are their customers and the brewery wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that relationship. 

Although the brewery asked permission for up to four trucks, McGuigan said he thought two trucks would be sufficient.

Residents of the nearby upscale Anchor Reef condominiums expressed concern about having food trucks in the brewery’s parking lot.  Susan Farricielli said she thinks the trucks would be a mistake. “They will be an eyesore,” she said, adding they could attract rats and other rodents.

Maureen Gercken, a Wilford Avenue resident, said food trucks aren’t needed because there are already many area restaurants that already compete for business. “By having these food trucks, you’re dividing the pie even more,” she said.

One resident spoke in favor of the trucks, calling himself a “food truck junky” who also patronizes restaurants.

Burton said the trucks would not present problems with cleanliness and they are regulated by the health department.  “We’re not going to permit anything that would be an eyesore,” he said.

The P&Z expressed some concerns, but eventually approved the request with several conditions pertaining to hours, parking areas, and oversight of sanitary issues and aesthetics. They limited the number of trucks to two, instead of the requested four, but said the developer could come back to request additional trucks at a later date.

More Beer

In other brewery news, a public hearing has been set for Feb. 5 for a proposal to relocate the Thimble Island Brewing Company to a larger facility at 16 Business Park Drive.

Brewery owners Justin Gargano and Mike Fawcett have been brewing beer at 53 East Industrial Road—about 1 mile from the new location. The new site is owned by Charles Weber and Ed Secondino, who are spearheading the Costco complex master plan on East Industrial Road.

The Thimble Island Brewing Company was founded in 2010, and began selling beer in 2012. Two of its signatures beers are American Ale, and Coffee Stout, made with Willoughby’s coffee beans.
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