Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/755964
Celebrate Connecticut! • CERC 5 R E G I O N A L P R O F I L E S / / / / / C E N T R A L T he Central Connecticut region continues to see strong growth in its local economies. Transit- oriented development opportunities continue to surface, as private developers are supporting towns' local investments at several locations. Reuse, redevelopment and expansions are also underway here. With New Britain's CTfastrak downtown station, the city is seizing the opportunity to create new development around the location, in the form of mixed retail and residential development. Projects include a 230,000-square-foot mixed-use housing and retail development at 125 Columbus Boulevard, at the site of the former police station. Xenolith Partners LLC will be spearheading this project at a cost of $58 million. REVITALIZATION, RENEWAL Other projects include an adaptive reuse of the former Saint Thomas Aquinas High School; it will be transformed into a community center and residential development with units reserved for military veterans. A former industrial site on Ellis Street will be turned into 164 units of condominiums and apartments. Also, 50,000 square feet of manufacturing expansions have been permitted for spring of 2017. Berlin is spurring development around its new train station, which will be operational in early 2018. Webster Road has a new office and retail development called Stick Village. Manufacturing has grown with metal-forming machinery maker Fenn expanding operations in town and adding 45 jobs. Other manufacturing expansions include Sirois Sheet Metal, Yale Lock and McKinney Hinge. Eversource, headquartered in Berlin, increased operations and added 25 jobs. Plainville has some redevelopment projects underway. TopFlight Machine Tool LLC is expanding operations along with Northeast Produce on Robert Jackson Way, creating more jobs along with it. Plainville is also focusing on mixed-use development for Whiting Street, with Oak Land Developers investing in the area. Southington's $20-million recycling facility, Turning Earth, will provide electricity to 1,000 homes. Supreme Forest Products will be undergoing a 59-acre expansion with a $10-million biopower facility. Hartford HealthCare is building a new, 40,000-square-foot Bone & Joint Institute along Queen Street. Stanley Black & Decker recently moved part of its operation to West Street, bringing over 100 jobs to the area. Other manufacturers expanding their space include Ductworks with a 16,200-square-foot addition; Bracone Metal Spinning's 4,000-square-foot addition; CV Tool's 15,000-square-foot addition; and ProCaire's 6,000-square- foot addition. Southington is also pursuing brownfield remediation at 318 North Main Street and has been awarded a grant to pursue this opportunity. ///// Source: Tim Stewart, Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce www.GreaterNewBritainChamber.com 860.229.1665 Photo/Stanley Black & Decker Hartford HealthCare's Bone & Joint Institute Berlin Train Station Photo/Hartford HealthCare Photo/Amtrak Stanley Black & Decker