Marcus Dairy, a staple in Danbury for more than six decades, wants to move its distribution center and office operations to the Morse Industrial Park.
The proposal, presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission Thursday by Claris Construction, calls for a 27,488 square-foot facility along Morse and Hurley Roads near the Oxford Airport.
The proposed facility would to house the dairy’s corporate offices, vehicle maintenance area and a 15,000 square foot refrigerated distribution center along with 70 employees from those departments. It will not be processing milk, something it stopped doing in Danbury within the past five or so years.
Marcus employs about 110 people, according to the company’s Web site.
According to Claris Construction President Phil Clark, the facility would be accessible from Morse Road with additional driveways on Hurley Road for easy access to Interstate 84.
Marcus Dairy has been in Danbury at 3 Sugar Hollow Road since 1947.
The dairy has been winding down for several years, as the Marcus family plans to build an upscale retail center there.
Sean Marcus, the company’s operations manager, said the once industrial area has become more retail based with the addition of the Danbury Fair mall in the 1980’s and other nearby retail establishments throughout the decades.
“Our buildings have run their course of usefulness,” he said. “Now it is time for us to move our operations somewhere else.”
Marcus said the new location in Oxford would be more centrally located to the dairy’s customer base in Hartford, New York and western Connecticut and has easy access to Interstate 84 and Route 8.
“Oxford was interested in getting our business and it was nice to feel welcomed,” Marcus said.
According to Oxford Economic Development Director Herman Shuler, Clark approached the town to construct the new office and distribution facility at the industrial park.
He said a contract with Marcus Dairy has been signed and is contingent on the town’s land use board’s approval.
“This is a perfect example working together with developers and landowners to grow the town,” he said.
Oxford Planning and Zoning Chairman Vinny Vizzo said the project does not require a public hearing because it is situated on land already designated for industrial use. Vizzo added the project meets the town’s industrial zone regulations.
“I think it will be looked on favorably to have Marcus Dairy in Oxford and will be an asset to the town,” he said.
The application was presented to the Inland Wetlands Commission on Monday and the Planning and Zoning Commission is waiting on that decision before they vote on the project.
