Historic Silk Thread Factory Building To Be Discussed At Planning And Zoning

NOTE: THE P&Z MEETING SCHEDULED FOR TONIGHT HAS BEEN POSTPONED BECAUSE OF SNOW, IT THIS APPLICATION WILL BE CONSIDERED AT THEIR FEBRUARY 9 MEETING.
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Developer Michael Johnson is applying for a permit to use part of a three-story brick factory near the corner of Cooley Street and Main Street Extension as a public assembly space. The factory, built in the early 1870s, employed as many as 150 men in the early 1880s, they used a 50 horsepower steam engine to turn raw silk into thread.

Johnson proposes to use about 10% of the building for a public meeting space. According to MiddletownPatch, the tenant for this space is Narcotics Anonmyous.

Johnson does not specify how he will develop the remainder of the building or the newly empty space adjacent to it, where another factory, a "saw-tooth" building, was recently razed.

Johnson told reporter Shawn Beals of The Courant that this permit application is part of a major renovation project for the property, which is between Middlesex Hospital and medical office complexes on Saybrook Road. He indicated that he would be designing retail and office space, "We have some nationally known prospective tenants in the works."

Johnson said that parking was the limiting factor for developing the building, telling The Courant, "We couldn't do anything with it until there was parking."

The City Planning Department has raised staff objections to the limited nature of this application, particularly with respect to the parking requirements, writing, "An accurate parking calculation for the property needs to encompass all existing and proposed uses. The applicant's current parking calculation does not include 25,267 sq. ft. renovation of the three story brick building."

The Planning Office recommended to the Commission that they deny this proposal for a public meeting space, "without prejudice."

The historical record and staff recommendations are available on the Planning Department website. The Planning and Zoning Commission meets tonight at 7PM in Council Chambers.