Members of the Derby Redevelopment Agency said Tuesday they want to arrange a “roundtable discussion” on a new concept for the redevelopment of downtown Derby.
“There’s so much going on we need not one expertise, but several experts,” said agency member Glenn Stevens.
The five-person agency directed Sheila O’Malley, the city’s economic development director, to organize the meeting.
The city’s Redevelopment Agency is trying to figure out how to breathe new life into the struggling area between Main Street and the Housatonic River stretching from the Derby-Shelton bridge to the former Lifetouch building.
A time and date for the roundtable discussion have yet to be scheduled. However, the event will be open to the public and the public will be able to ask questions, agency members said.
Those who could be invited to the meeting include James Ryan, director of the Shelton Economic Development Corporation; Tom Hill, a commercial real estate broker who says he has clients who want to move into part of the property; Thomas Corso, who had consulted with the city on its long-delayed project; and John Guedes, of the Primrose Companies in Bridgeport.
Last week Guedes presented two sets of oversized drawings that call for a mix of retail and residential use in the area. The concept is to allow different developers to develop different parts of the property.
Derby had previously given Ceruzzzi Derby Redevelopment LLC “preferred” developer status for the downtown redevelopment, but Mayor Anthony Staffieri ended that agreement, saying the developer wasn’t making adequate progress.
Ceruzzi has a lawsuit pending against the city.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Samuel Rizzitelli, chairman of the Derby Democratic Town Committee, asked a series of questions about the Guedes plan, including whether the Agency has determined whether the financing exists to pay for the project (see video above).
Agency chairman Joseph Bomba (also a Republican member of the Board of Aldermen) said Rizzitelli’s questions would be answered as more details are fleshed out about the latest plan.
Former Mayor Marc Garofalo questioned why Guedes plan was being referred to as a “master plan” when all the city has, according to Garofalo, is three oversized drawings.
He questioned whether the goal was redevelopment or “hubbub before an election.”
“To me, this is not a master plan. This is a concept,” Garofalo said.
Ken Hughes, a member of the Redevelopment Agency and the president of the Board of Aldermen, said the city has to move forward, election or not.
“We’re not going to rush into anything because it’s an election year,” Hughes said.
Other items of note at the Redevelopment Agency meeting:
- Agency members said there are no “big box” stores, such as a Home Depot, planned for the site. A grocery store or a movie theater are interested in the southern part of the property, where the former Lifetouch building sits.
- Stevens let it slip that the grocery store in question might be a specialty store, such as Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. However, that wasn’t confirmed.
- Stevens wants the Agency to take Guedes’ drawings and carve out what specific types of uses the Redevelopment Agency wants on the property.
- Carl Yaccobacci, owner of Yaccobacci Custom Cabinetry, said he likes the fact the city is hoping to get more than more developer to develop the property. He was happy to see the new concept incorporates some of the existing stores in the area to relocate and remain on Main Street. However, Yaccobacci wondered if a state plan to widen Route 34 (Main Street) would result in the loss of parking and the gain of a “four lane highway” downtown.
- There is no “low income” housing proposed for the site. At past meetings there has been talk of “affordable” senior housing.
