Riverfront Redevelopment Commission Hears Process Presentation

The Middletown Riverfront Redevelopment Commission and about 25 members of the public heard a presentation by representatives of the development consultant group Project for Public Spaces (PPS) in the Common Council chamber in the Municipal Building at 245 deKoven Drive on Tuesday evening, July 2. The presentation consisted of oral remarks, power point slides, and questions and answers. It ran from 7 to 9 p.m. The commission's chairman, Gerald E. Daley presided.

The PPS proposal, dated April 2, 2013, may be viewed here. The price tag is $68,500.

The PPS representatives, Meg Walker and Elena Madison, described the process the commission has engaged them to perform. The process consists essentially of meetings, interviews, and focus groups with various stakeholders in the riverfront from the north end of Harbor Park to a point south of the waste water treatment plant, followed by one or two big public input sessions, probably in late September, a draft report, meetings with the commission on the draft report, and a final report by the end of 2013 on Middletown's vision for its waterfront.

Commission member Larry McHugh seconded the remarks of a member of the public who said the State Department of Transportation is about to finalize plans for Route 9 that will "lock in" the manner and extent of possible connections between downtown and the riverfront. McHugh said it would be wise to get DOT to "step on the brakes" a little, to allow the commission's process to play out.

The Riverfront Redevelopment Commission consists of Gerald E. Daley, Larry McHugh, Joe Carta, Joseph Bibisi (vice chairman), Mike DiPiro, Richard Pelletier, Elaine "Laney" Bank, Daniel Russo, Jamie Mills, Wendy Sheil, and Sheila Stoane.