Zoning Code Text Change Application Would Block New Commercial Development Around Wesleyan

The Planning Department has received an application to change the text of the zoning code, to restrict the possible uses of land zoned ID. It was submitted by Ed McKeon, a community activist who is opposed to the development of a strip mall in a residential area between Pearl and High on Washington Street.

The ID (Institutional Development) zone applies to land around Wesleyan, Middlesex Hospital, and Connecticut Valley Hospital. It provides wide latitude to the institution to build facilities "compatible with its setting in scale and design."

The zoning code currently stipulates that land in the zone "not used and endorsed by the institution" must meet the requirements of the MX zone, which allows residential as well as professional offices, neighborhood stores, and other low-intensity commercial uses. A recently proposed text change would allow very high-density commercial use.

McKeon's proposed text would stipulate that properties in an ID zone that have been used as residences and are not being used by the institution would have to meet the requirement of the RPZ zone. RPZ is a residential zone does not allow commercial use.

All zoning code text change decisions take place after a public hearing at the Planning and Zoning Commission. The Commission is likely to schedule such a public hearing for one of its meetings in February.

Zoning Text Change Application Would Allow More Commercial Development On Washington Street

The Planning Department has received an application to change the text of the zoning code, to allow by special exception an intensive commercial development of properties in the MX zone. It was submitted by "Acquisition Holdings, LLC", a company associated with the Centerplan developer who is vying to develop a strip mall in a residential area between Pearl and High on Washington Street.

Strip Mall Or Livable Residential Neighborhood?

 COMMENTARY on the proposed strip mall development on Washington Street between Pearl and High.

What I Don’t Understand About the Developer

What the Developer Doesn’t Understand About Me

I get it.  It’s a developer’s job to dream up real estate projects that they can create and from which they can profit.

So I don’t fault the Centerplan folks for acting upon what is their core mission.  Developers develop.  And when these developments are in the best interest of a community, the developer prospers and the community prospers.

In the case of the Washington Street strip-mall, I think the community loses out.

I’ve tried, but I cannot put myself in the shoes of anyone who would say, “here’s a parcel of land with some historic homes that’s zoned inappropriately for large scale commercial development, so let’s convince residents to move out, knock down the homes, pour some concrete and blacktop, chainsaw dozens of trees and invite some national chains to move in.”

A Commentary On The Washington Street Proposal

Bill Wasch sent the following commentary in to The Eye, after attending Tuesday's forum at Wesleyan on the possible move of the Wesleyan bookstore to a new shopping center on Washington Street. Wasch is an alumnus and former trustee of Wesleyan, a Middletown resident, and founder of a business that designs, builds, and remodels homes for seniors.
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I was there today in the back. I was very much disappointed in the presentation and thought Wes should be able to do better. I thought the best comment was by the person who talked about the connection between the campus and downtown along Williams Str. I was on the Wes Board of Trustees when we hired the former Harvard planner to establish the main campus road behind North college which follows the line through the art center to behind the former Scott lab and over Church to the Science Center. This is the diagonal of the campus and has done a lot to integrate the campus via the student union and former squash courts. It is ridiculous to try to tie Wes to downtown any other way, the current axis supports the Wes book store which houses WESU and a comfortable book cafe. Why a new big box book store (Barnes and Nobles and many other book stores are on the way out)? I do not think much intelligence has been exerted on the current plan. I was embarrassed for the proponents and hope they give up sooner than later.

The developer who was running the meeting did not endear himself to the audience in the way he handled the meeting nor did Wes impress me through its presentation.

All in all, a sad commentary on Wes planning.

Bill Wasch

La La Land, A REAL Book Store, Democracy

There were some colorful moments yesterday when Bob Landino, the CEO of Centerplan Companies, along with his colleague Yves Josephs and Middletown architect Jeff Bianco, presented their preliminary plans for a 20,000 square foot development on the corner of Washington Street and Pearl Street.  The purpose of the meeting was to get input from the Wesleyan community about the part of the plan that would move the University book store to the new development under contract with a national company. The University has not announced any official decision about whether or not they have signed onto this plan.

A full accounting of the meeting will appear in the Middletown Eye soon. For now, video is available on the Middletown Eye's YouTube channel 

Highlight Reel - excerpts showing some of the more colorful moments -

Additional video of the entire meeting is still in process of being uploaded to the Middletown Eye's YouTube channel and will be available on the channel which you can go to by clicking on this link: 

click here to go to Middletown Eye YouTube main page

Observations from the Wesleyan/CenterPlan meeting

For a live blogging of the event, visit:

http://wesleying.org/2012/11/27/liveblogging-the-bookstore-relocation-open-forum/

Just copy and paste that into your browser.
~Topher

Over a hundred people from Wesleyan and the Middletown community met to hear CenterPlan's proposal for a new development on Washington Street.

The purpose of the meeting was to gauge the community's input on the proposed move of the bookstore. The overwhelming feeling of the audience was in opposition of the proposed plan to move Wesleyan's bookstore to this proposed location.

The primary concern was the issue of traffic, both car and foot traffic. Other issues were brought up, such as, Wesleyan would not control the bookstore property.

We Deserve an Upgrade

This appeared all over Wesleyan's campus yesterday.  Some students conjecture it is not the work of students.  We deserve a Chipotle's.  Indeed.  Radicals! Anarchists!  Consumerists!

Stripmauled, Or Ten Good Reasons to Oppose the Washington Street Development, Part 2

COMMENTARY

Local developer Centerplan, with the blessings of Middletown’s Mayor and Chamber of Commerce, and with the cooperation of Wesleyan University, has proposed a commercial development on Washington Street, between Pearl and High, on the Northern side of the street.  It will be a three-story office and retail complex.  I live in sight of the proposed development.  Part one of this commentary was published yesterday.

The Wesleyan forum on the proposed development (Tuesday Nov. 27, 4:30 PM) has been moved to a larger space on campus,  PAC 001 (on Church St, just East of Olin Library).  The developer, Centerplan will be making a presentation.  Unfortunately, this meeting has been scheduled at a time when many faculty chair and co-chairs will be attending mandatory meetings.  Several of these chairpersons are influential faculty, and Middletown residents.

  

WE'VE NOW ENTERED THE TWILIGHT ZONE.  The parcel in question is not zoned for the kind of development proposed.  To develop this parcel, the Planning and Zoning Commission will have to grant a significant zoning change.  A zoning change would be permanent, thereby allowing a wide array of commercial, retail and restaurant development on this block, and because a precedent will be set that goes beyond this block.

When parcels in a town are zoned, it is an attempt to create a contiguity of purpose and design in adjacent parcels.  This comprehensive plan is designed to prevent the kind of free-for-all development which occurs when there is no plan.

Stripmauled, Or 10 Good Reasons to Oppose the Washington Street Development

COMMENTARY

Local developer Centerplan, with the blessings of Middletown’s Mayor and Chamber of Commerce, and with the cooperation of Wesleyan University, has proposed a commercial development on Washington Street, between Pearl and High, on the Northern side of the street.  It will be a three-story office and retail complex.  I live in sight of the proposed development.

UPDATE: The Wesleyan forum on the proposed development (Tuesday Nov. 27, 4:30 PM) has been moved to a larger space on campus,  PAC 001 (on Church St, just East of Olin Library).  The developer, Centerplan will be making a presentation.  On Tuesday November 27, at 4:30 pm in 41 Wyllys, Room 112, Wesleyan will hold a community forum on the proposed development.

 

This proposed development is a bad idea for a lot of reasons. 

I’ve got ten of them, and I’m happy to share.

 CHARACTER ASSASSINATION – The new development will completely alter a streetscape that’s lasted a century and a half, and permanently destroy the character of an entire neighborhood.

This particular block of Washington Street and the contiguous blocks from Newfield to Broad, feature large, vintage, architecturally unique residences, some since converted to light retail and office use, but all interesting and beautiful.  The Park Washington Apartments on the corner of Washington and Park, is the exception.

This new commercial development will insert a modern, hulking behemoth into the streetscape by demolishing at least three (maybe more) of those buildings, and throwing up a concrete, steel and brick corporate structure.  If you want to get a sense of what might happen, stand on the South corner of Broad and Washington, and look Northeast.  At the corner of Washington and Wetmore you can catch a glimpse of the past and the future.

 (The block in question circa 1924) The development will also replace lawns, gardens and mature trees with a blacktop parking lot and drives, and a concrete, steel and brick box.

Since there is good evidence that Wesleyan is selling other structures and property on Washington Street, once could conjecture that the strip-mall development West of Newfield, will soon creep all the way to Main.

From The Courant: Mayor Supports Retail Development On Washington Near St. Sebastian Church

The Hartford Courant reports that Mayor Dan Drew and Chamber of Commerce President Larry McHugh expressed their strong support for the Centerplan Companies' proposal for a large retail building on Washington Street, near Wesleyan.

Earlier Eye stories:

• Mayor To Speak On Washington Street Development
• Washington Street Development: The Approval Process And Public Input
• Washington Street Development

Mayor To Speak On Washington Street Development

Mayor Dan Drew will address the opportunity for a Washington Street development at a press conference this afternoon at 4PM, in Council Chambers. He will be joined by Bob Landino, of Centerplan Companies, which is developing a plan for land between Pearl and High Street.

Landino told The Eye that the planning for the development is in its very early stages. He said it is unusual to have a public announcement this early, even before an artist's rendition has been done, but that the extensive discussion "on the blogs" led the mayor to call a press conference. The discussion started Friday, when Wesleyan announced that it was considering moving its bookstore to Centerplan's possible development.

Chipotle, Starbucks, and Wesleyan