Sally E. Bahner Photo
Construction is expected to begin soon on the U.S. Army Reserve Training Center off Route 1 in Branford, now that a construction contract has been awarded to a Mississippi company.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Louisville, Ky., awarded a $13,543,293 contract earlier this month to Carothers Construction Inc., of Oxford, Miss. Seven bids were received for the project, which includes a 36,887 square-foot training center. According to the Department of Defense website, the estimated completion date for the project is November 2015.
File Photo
Work has already begun on a separate project to build an access road to the Army’s site.
Other building projects are in various stages of planning throughout Branford — - including industrial buildings on East Industrial Road, an expansion of an auto business on North Main Street, and a request to establish a Stony Creek Village District.
The Army Owns A Bit of Bittersweet
In March, the Army purchased 15 acres of the former 86-acre Bittersweet Farm property for $3.7 million. (Click here to read that story.)
The Army’s purchase culminated a long site-selection process that began in 2008. The Army looked at about 80 sites within 50 miles of Bridgeport, but all were eliminated except the Branford site. The Eagle first reported the Army’s interest in the Branford property in October 2012. (Click here to read that story.)
Plans for the training facilities include administrative offices, a library, learning center, weapons simulator and physical fitness areas. The Army submitted architectural and engineering plans to the town’s regulatory boards in 2012, but since it’s a federal project, it did not require local approvals.
The Army’s training center will be accessed by a 450-foot road leading from Route 1 to the Army complex. The Bittersweet Partners are constructing the access road and will retain ownership of it. John Mancini of BL Companies in Meriden, project engineer for the access road, said the owners hope to eventually receive permission from local regulatory boards to extend the access road southward and connect to Sycamore Way so that more parcels of land can be developed.
Secondino previously told the Eagle he hopes the Army’s project could lead to other development on the Bittersweet property and an adjacent 50 acres at 21 Sycamore Way, which is owned by Secondino and Belfonti through their Alterra Holdings LLC. The combined properties stretch from Route 1 southward toward East Industrial Road. Click here to read that story.
The15-acre property at 777 – 779 East Main St. (just past the town’s Transfer Station) was sold by Bittersweet Partners LLC, a partnership between Al Secondino and Michael Belfonti, who maintain ownership of the remaining 71 acres. The history of the Bittersweet Farm property under previous ownership includes a chicken farm, an artist colony and ill-fated plans to build the headquarters of a pharmaceutical company.
Secondino’s family has operated A. Secondino & Sons Inc. general contracting company in Branford since 1929. Belfonti is president and CEO of Belfonti Associates in Hamden, a real estate development and investment company founded in 1980.
And Costco?
In 2011, Secondino and Belfonti outlined a master plan for the combined properties which would have included offices, residential areas and possibly a Costco store, but those plans were never submitted for formal approval. The properties have numerous wetland areas.
In recent months, initial plans were disclosed for building a Costco store at another location — on property owned by Secondino and Charles E. Weber Jr. that stretches from Route 1 to East Industrial Road, coupled with an adjacent parcel on Route 1 owned by Wayne Cooke. Click here to read that story. Those properties are located further west than the Bittersweet site. Secondino told the Eagle in March that plans are “moving along …slowly” for the possible Costco deal.
Other Projects Around Town
East Industrial Road
Diana Stricker Photo
The developers of 61 East Industrial Rd. near the Ring’s End lumber store will present a proposal to the Inland Wetlands (IW) Commission next month to build two industrial buildings on the lot. An informal presentation was made during an IW meeting earlier this month. Jim Pretti of Criscuolo Engineering in Branford (pictured), said the owners hope to combine the adjacent properties at 61 and 57 East Industrial Road. Construction is underway for a building at 57 East Industrial Road, which was previously approved.
Pretti told the Eagle that there are no tenants yet, but that the buildings would be used for light manufacturing or as warehouses. The properties are are owned by RCR Enterprises LLC, under the management of Christopher M. Russo of Guilford.
The property at 61 East Industrial Rd. is at the far eastern end of East Industrial Road and is adjacent to the lower end of the 21 Sycamore Way property, owned by Secondino and Belfonti, which is south of the Bittersweet parcel.
J&E Auto Sales and Service
Diana Stricker Photo
The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) recently approved a proposal to expand a used car sales and service business located in the Town Center Village District. The proposal will increase the size of J&E Auto at 13 North Main St., which is near the intersection of North Main and Main streets.
Sally E. Bahner Photo
The P&Z unanimously approved a special exception request to build a 30 by 50-foot addition to the rear of the J&E building. The addition would be located on adjacent property at 68-76 Main St. The properties are unique in that they span a small area between the two streets. Bob Criscuolo, of Criscuolo Engineering of Branford, said the expanded building would provide more room for the auto sales and service business, and would upgrade the existing building.
The owners of the properties are Daniel Iamunno and Gregory Papuga.
Assistant Town Planner Richard Stoecker said the design proposal was approved by the Town Center Revitalization and Review Board (TCRRB), which reviews projects in the Town Center Village District. ‘It’s a nice design from both sides,” Stoecker said.
250 North Main St.
The continuation of an IW public hearing for property at 250 North Main St. has been postponed until August. The property in question is a 13-acre site located between Route 1 and I-95. It is adjacent to the W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home on one side, and United Tire Inc. and Greystone Manor condominiums on the other side. The Shapiro family, who operate the Cedar Island Marina in Clinton, has owned the property since
1997.
The owner of the adjacent United Tire property spoke in favor of the project at the IW public hearing in May.
Project engineers told the IW Commission in May that the owners are not proposing any specific developer for the site, but they are seeking approval to excavate the property and prepare it for potential development. The site includes hilly topography, wetlands, a stream and a rocky outcropping. Click here to read about the plans. Since then, the owners have asked that the public hearing be extended. The property was previously considered but rejected as a possible site for Costco; and was also mentioned as a possible location for the town’s public works facility.
Stony Creek Village Concept
The P&Z Commission has scheduled a public hearing Sept. 4 for a request by the Stony Creek Association to establish a Stony Creek Village District, which proponents say would help maintain the charm and character of the area. Branford’s Town Center is currently the only section of town with the “village district” designation.
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