Master sketch of Costco and seven other buildings
The master plans for the Costco complex near Exit 56 in Branford arrived this afternoon.
The conceptual plans, which were delivered to the Planning and Zoning Department Wednesday, call for developing about 44 acres of land between Route 1 and East Industrial Road off I‑95. The proposal includes five properties.
With Permission
The proposed Costco store would be 158,070 square feet, and would include 635 parking spaces. The total maximum commercial space, including Costco, would be 247,160 square feet.
According to the plans, the Costco store and a gas station would be built mainly on the Wayne Cooke family property, and would include an access road along Route 1, directly across from Cooke’s Hilltop Orchard property.
In addition to the Costco store, the plans call for seven buildings, including a pharmacy, retail stores and restaurants.
The site in the lower left corner of the conceptual sketch below is the Stop & Shop complex along Leetes Island Road, which is adjacent to the Costco complex, outlined in yellow.
The Development Process
With Permission
Costco’s development team is seeking approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) for a Planned Development District (PDD) and a zoning map amendment, which would allow construction of commercial and retail establishments. The area is currently zoned industrial.
The P&Z, which meets Thursday at 7 p.m., will schedule a public hearing on the application. Interim Town Planner Rich Stoecker said the hearing will likely be scheduled for March.
If the PDD is eventually approved, Costco will be required to submit detailed site plans to both the Inland Wetlands Commission and P&Z. Additional public hearings would be scheduled.
The PDD includes two sizeable parcels. One is a 16.56-acre parcel at 569 E. Main St. owned by Charles E. Weber Jr. and Al Secondino through their 595 Corporate Circle corporation. The property has street frontage on Route 1, Leetes Island Road, and East Industrial Road.
The other major lot is a 22.36-acre site at 573 E. Main St. owned by Wayne Cooke and the Cooke family corporations. This parcel fronts on Route 1.
Roads Into Costco Plaza
There are also three smaller parcels:
—- A 1.6 acre property at 16 East Industrial Road owned by AHB-LLC, where the Hal Brown Sporting Goods store is located.
—- A 1.73 acre site at 20 East Industrial Road owned by Peter G. Mandragouras, which is a vacant lot.
—- A 2.41 acre site at 26 East Industrial Road, where the Connecticut Shellfish Company is located. The property is owned by the Shellfish company.
The inclusion of the smaller properties allows for access from East Industrial Road to the Costco store. One of the main access roads would be directly across from the I-95 ramps at Exit 56, where the access road for the Shellfish Company is currently located. Another access road would also be on East Industrial Road, directly opposite the Travel Center driveway.
The proposed plans call for the Costco store and a gas station to be located mainly on the Cooke property; and retail stores, restaurants, and a pharmacy to be located on the other properties. The plans do not show specific stores, but do show seven site pads where buildings would be located.
In addition to the Route 1 access road across from Hilltop Orchard, the plans state there would also be a Route 1 access road just east of the driveway of the Chowder Pot restaurant and Citizens Bank.
Three partial access driveways are also planned.
The plans state that an important feature is the direct connection through the PDD property between Route 1 and East Industrial Road, which provides an alternate to using Leetes Island Road.
The plans include a comprehensive traffic study, and call for several improvements to the adjacent roads.
The three official applicants for the PDD are: Costco Wholesale Corp.; 595 Corporate Circle, and the Orchard Hill Partners LLC. The main partners of the latter two corporations are Weber and Secondino.
The application packet, which was delivered by hand, states: “This application represents an exciting opportunity to plan for the comprehensive, fully integrated future development of 44 acres of land located in an important business area of the town. In addition to significant property tax and job creation benefits, the PDD and Master Plan approach to development planning will enable sound traffic management principles to be implemented for the entire 44 acres.”
The Costco development and engineering teams met with Branford officials in early December, and a second meeting which included department heads was held two days before Christmas. John Mancini, an engineer with BL Companies in Meriden, discussed an overview of the plans. Click here to read about that meeting.
Bringing Costco to Exit 56 was a key goal of First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove during his campaign in 2013 and throughout his recent months in office. According to Cosgrove, Costco would help grow the commercial tax base.
Other Development Nearby
In addition to the new Costco complex proposal, other changes are occurring in the Exit 56 area in Branford. The U.S. Army Reserve Center is under construction along Route 1 at 777 E. Main St. on a portion of the Bittersweet Farm property. Secondino has said he hopes to further develop the Bittersweet Farm property. The P&Z recently approved plans for an Alzheimer’s care facility at 814 E. Main St., near the Army site.
At Thursday’s P&Z meeting, a public hearing is scheduled for a proposed change to the Stop & Shop plaza that would permit a restaurant to be added there.
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