With Derby’s exclusive relationship with a California-based company to spur downtown development over, two Aldermen say now is the perfect time for city to alter its approach to getting the project done — by buying out the remaining property owners in the redevelopment zone.
“We need to be driving this thing,” Alderman Ron Sill said Tuesday. “We need to get something going.”
City officials, meanwhile, say things aren’t so simple.
Eclipse Deal Done
A contract giving Eclipse Development Group exclusive rights to broker deals in Derby’s redevelopment zone — an area that stretches along Main Street next to the Housatonic River from roughly the Derby-Shelton Bridge to the former Lifetouch property — expires Thursday.
Though Eclipse says it still wants to develop the site, Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri said Monday that it was “time to move along.”
“It’s a done issue with Eclipse,” the mayor said. “We gave him two and a half years. That’s it.”
Staffieri said the city had received a letter from Eclipse’s president, Douglas Gray, he characterized as Gray “graciously bowing out” of its deal with Derby.
In the letter, released by the city on Tuesday, Gray acknowledged that his time as Derby’s preferred developer was coming to an end April 18, and that company officials “are very sorry we have yet to pull in the major tenant to bring this project to fruition.”
But it goes on to say that “our intent is to continue working towards the vision and plans we have had for the site and eventually bring this entire development about.”
Article continues after the letter.
Sill said that a lack of activity for years within the redevelopment zone shows the Eclipse plan wasn’t working.
“I never had any faith that this plan was going to work with this company,” he said. “There needed to be a master plan and individual parcels that tie into it.”
He and Alderman Carmen DiCenso want the city to include a question included on an upcoming referendum asking voters to approve bonding to buy the six parcels the city doesn’t own in the redevelopment zone.
Sill estimated a figure of $4 million to $5 million for the question.
With the Eclipse deal done, that would give the city more control over the redevelopment, they said.
Click here to read more about the referendum plans.
DiCenso said that’s not the only way Derby should be taking a more active role.
He said the city should advertise the area as a transportation hub to developers, and a necessary commercial center to people who have moved into new residential developments nearby in Shelton.
“We have a very attractive spot to develop,” he said.
A Massachusetts-based developer evidently thinks so, and already has options to purchase two of the properties in the redevelopment zone.
Eclipse hadn’t bought one piece of property in the redevelopment zone, DiCenso said, and hadn’t been negotiating with property owners.
The city should be moving in that direction, he said, and should start negotiating with those property owners and their attorneys — one of which visited Aldermen March 31 and said much the same thing.
Article continues after video of Aldermen discussing downtown redevelopment at that meeting.
Sill pointed out that the city’s Redevelopment Agency met only twice last year, and should meet monthly.
DiCenso said that the Redevelopment Agency and Economic Development Director Sheila O’Malley should have brought future tenants to Eclipse when that company had exclusive rights to make deals.
City, Development Agency Respond
O’Malley said it’s not that easy.
“Everybody thinks they can tell the developer what to do,” O’Malley said. “You can’t tell a developer how to develop or how to spend his money. You have to step away from that.”
She said she’d outline alternatives to the Redevelopment Agency about how Derby will move forward at a meeting scheduled for May 14.
Joe Bomba, the Redevelopment Agency’s chairman, said his group didn’t meet on a regular basis this past year because “there was nothing to meet about. We had a contract that (Eclipse) was following.”
The poor economy caused inaction at the site, he said, because “some of the major stores were afraid to move forward.”
He disagreed with the concept of the redevelopment agency trying to drum up interest among prospective tenants.
He’s also opposed to the idea of going to referendum to buy the properties in the redevelopment zone.
“I don’t think it’s a smart move now,” he said.
Staffieri doubted Monday whether the necessary appraisals and other paperwork could be completed in time for a referendum.
“For the city to go into the real estate market, to be buying properties, it’s very difficult,” he said. “You’d be jumping into a swamp.”
The city purchasing land involves “all sorts of issues,” O’Malley said, including liability of contaminated property, demolition of property and other funding issues.
“It’s a difficult time for Derby residents,” she said. “Economic development is a difficult sell. When you invest in economic development, could be 10 years before you see a return on investment.”
Bomba said city officials should let the Eclipse contract “run its course.”
“This isn’t a dead issue at this point,” he said. “I put a lot of time and effort into this. We’re just looking for the right thing for the City of Derby.”
This topic is “politically directed” by someone who knows that redevelopment just isn’t happening in this very difficult economy.
‘”It’s a difficult time for Derby residents,” she said. “Economic development is a difficult sell. When you invest in economic development, could be 10 years before you see a return on investment.”‘
It’s been MORE than ten years since any of this talk began. Check out this document from 2002, beginning around page 40.
http://www.valleycog.org/comm_dev_documents/derby_pocd_2002.pdf
This came about not too long after.
http://electronicvalley.org/derby/Downtown/Plan/plan_of_redevelopment.htm
My comments are not directed towards any political party or administration, the names on the 2002 document are different from the names of 2013, but eleven years later and it still seems to be in the brainstorming phase. Blaming the economy can only go so far when other towns in similar situations throughout the country seem to find ways to move ahead despite the economic situation. Besides, both administrations were discussing downtown Derby well before the economy turned sour.
Kevin Henri: You appear “to be using a wide painting brush” when you write “other towns in similar situations throughout the country seem to find ways to move ahead despite the economic situation.” Can illustrate some specific examples of your broad assessment? I am not aware of any progress of this nature in any town in the State of Connecticut.
Look across the river from city hall, Stan!
I don’t mean our empty lot I mean the 500 apartments being built in Shelton. So you certainly don’t have to look to far.
I think Shelton has been a great example. Although it’s not perfect either, Shelton shares an industrial city with Derby and seems to be recovering as it has diversified among many different industries, mostly white-collar.
For a city on a much larger scale, we can look to Pittsburgh, who moved away from manufacturing and towards becoming a leading city in the high tech industry.
http://triblive.com/business/headlines/3053887-74/pittsburgh-recession-cities-services-metropolitan-recovery-economy-financial-economic-employment#axzz2QqPd3DFp
Let me be clear that I do not think Derby is just like Shelton or Pittsburgh. It goes without saying that Derby is a tiny city which limits the things it can do, and there may not be any perfect model for Derby to follow. What I do believe though, is that it’s not impossible for the city to move upward and fare better than it has in some time. Other cities have indeed been able to turn around and do better since the economic downturn. Why shouldn’t we? Because we don’t mirror those cities in every way?
There are certainly contrary examples that remind us of how badly we could have fared (Windham), but that’s not the point. The point of my original comment was to point out that it’s already been more than ten years, so we shouldn’t speak about this like it’s still a new issue.
Am I for or against the city purchasing property? If there is a referendum, I will gladly cast my vote based on what I feel is best.
Edit: “Shares an industrial history*”
Comparing Derby with Shelton “is like comparing apples and oranges.” Shelton is financially stable, with a huge tax base — and is not in decay, like Derby, needing a mind-boggling funding to cope with leaking school roofs, a crumbling city garage, a decayed sewer system — that does not realistically allow Derby to fund the purchase of downtown properties — for the hope of downtown Derbv renewal. Looking at Shelton — won’t help Derby. I agreed with the assesment you gave me about Derby being is bad fiscal health, some time ago, Ron. It’s good that you keep looking across the river. It’s like the grass always looks greener on the other side of the street.
In all likelihood Mayor Staffieri is correct regarding the things needing to be done and therefore the timing of being able to get the purchase of the parcels on the upcoming referendum.
That having been said, it should still be pursued. Pursuing ownership of the parcels not currently owned appropriately uses time when development and therefore developers are least likely to move forward while eliminating any potential roadblocks to moving forward or waiting during more productive economic times for these parcels to be acquired.
Walt Mayhew: If at all possible, I would like to see the parcels purchased also. Perhaps that’s why Ron Sill keeps looking at Shelton. Perhaps if
Derby could merge with Shelton — the funds to aquire these parcels would not be a problem.
When Stan Muzyk talks, all I hear is the teacher from Charlie Brown … Wa wa wa wa. Wa wa wa wa? Wa wa wa wa.
Rob Hyder: The juvenile response you gave was “not smarter than of a fifth grader.” You are resolute in avoiding the issue in favor of your customary personal attacks. As long as it keeps you happy Rob!
Ryan Healey: Thank you for your intellient response to the issue, and I agree with your candid assessment in spelling out the facts.
I would encourage Aldermen Ron Sill and Carmen DiCenso to respond to Ryan Healey who cited non-political valid reasons why Downtown Derby Renewal should be a dead issue. Derby taxpayers lost an additional $1.2 million dollars to bow out of the last failed downtown renewal. I agree with Joseph Boama and Mayor Tony Staffieri that the city should not be going into the depressed real estate market now to buy properties — and lose the current taxpayers on Derby’s small grand list.
Common sense must prevail in the small and poor City of Derby.
Joe Bomba: Keep up the good judgement and your honest appraisal of the facts as Redevelopment Chairman. You echo the views of our experienced
and productive Economic Development Director Sheila O’Malley. I’m glad that we have this quality leadership — that is committed to look after Derby taxpayors.
Wa wa wa wa. Wa wa wa wa? Wa wa wa wa.
Rob Hyder: Tou sound like you need to go to the bathroom. Please relieve yourself so you can write in English.
Chris Collins: I didn’t know that you are Rob Hyder’s personal fireman? You two must be intimately close. When you help Rob Hyder relieve himself, I suggest both of you try commenting about “Derby Not Doing Enough for Redevelopment” — which is Sheila Hunter’s blog.
Robert Hyder is the person who allegedly forced Eugene Driscoll to require that all comments written in Valley Independent Sentinel come from a person using a legitimate Facebook E-Mail address — after psuedo-writers made a mockery of any journalistic standards. Mr. Hyder was so politically opposed to me that he even used the name of a South Carolina Facebook member to attack me in the Sentinel. It was easy for Mr. Hyder to make a nasty fool of himself — using somepone elses name. Thanks to Eugene Driscoll’s change of editorial policy, Mr. Hyder must now make a fool of himself — using his true identity. He can continue to attack me, as I’m not running for office. The only time he ever got to me was when he attacked my Shelton High School, Class of 1948, in his devious attempt to rattle me. He is still abusing the system, when he only writes in the Sentinel fo make his patented personal attacks and fails to comment on the subject of a blog.
Stan,
Enough….I agree with someone’s true identity being used. Especially after the incident in which Ken Hughes et al dragged my name through the mud when I was on the board of education. Do you recall how the “C” word was allowed to be thrown around while Ken refused to do his job as a moderator? (unless someone tried to disparage his name or that of political buddies…then he was all over it). Seriously, when you respond to comments made to you, you look just as foolish since you just can’t leave it alone. Derby is not Shelton (back to the subject) however, if this city raised the bar on education and things that matter, people will come here. We are steps away from Shelton and, if people who commute to NYC will move there, they’ll come here. But we need serous change first. Plain and simple.
Rene: I don’t believe that Ken Hughes has, as you say, “dragged your name through the mud” for some time, but he still upsets you.” However, Robert Hyder, has continually harrassed me in the Valley Independent Sentinal for years, and continues his devious tactics theough this past weekend. You can’t compare Mr. Hyder with Ken Hughes because Mr. Hughes is not currently using devious tactics against you. You can call me foolish for addressing the subject, but all I ask is that Valley Independent Sentinel not be used like the former “Star News” — as a trashy personal tripe-gossip rag — because of the whims on one person – “with a helper.” I have never attacked Robert Hyder as I don’t even know him — except for the fact that he appears to a a habitual trouble-maker. God bless him!
rene:
Hi. Our change over to Facebook comments wasn’t motivated by a single person. It was mostly due to personal attacks happening under Oxford stories.
In addition, people were already commenting on our FB page, so we went with a FB login here as well.
Someone made inappropriate comments in this thread and I removed those comments.
For a more detailed explanation about why we use Facebook, search Facebook Connect in the search field at the top of this page.
Respectfully Stan,
You have no idea of the particulars in my case because I choose to not argue all over this site. He knew how wrong he was when he actually asked Bigelow to try and avoid exposing him as the moderator until after the election (yes, I do still have very email if you’re interested). That’s all I’m saying. Perception. What Rob is doing to you is similar (in my opinion) to what you continually do to Marc Garofalo. Peace to you.
Renee: God bless you and Marc Garofalo. I’m at peace with him as long as he stays off of our mayor’s back as his continual critic at aldermanic meetings, He should know that the mayor’s job “is not a peace of cake in Derby.”
http://valley.newhavenindependent.org/archives/entry/derby_alderman_comments_on_libel_lawsuit
Here we go again……………….
Nothing in Derby is ever “a piece of cake” as there is political drama involved with every issue that arises. Derby proves that “the world is just a stage — and we are actors in it.” Perhaps it’s ironic that the Sterling Opera House was once the site of Derby City Hall.
Mayor Tony Staffieri must be an “untouchable, no-fault Mayor of Derby.” For years, Derby resident Robert Hyder, and his friends have instead consistently atacked me in the Valley Independdnt Sentinel because of the premise that I am perhaps the Mayor’s most vocal supporter. Apparently “if you can’t go after the goose — you go after the gander.”