ANSONIA — The city took a major step forward this week toward bringing a proposed $15.5 million indoor/outdoor sports complex to Olson Drive.
The Board of Apportionment and Taxation on Tuesday (April 19) unanimously approved transferring $510,000 from the city’s fund balance in order for the city to acquire the property, known as lots 5 and 6 on Olson Drive, from the Ansonia Housing Authority.
The city, in turn, will sell the vacant property to Bridgeport developer John Guedes, President/CEO of Primrose Companies, who has proposed building the multi-million sports complex.
A conceptual drawing showing what the facility could look like.
According to the city’s Corporation Counsel John Marini, the city held a closing Thursday (April 21) on the land sale from the AHA’s hands to the city’s. A closing between the city and Guedes has yet to be scheduled, but city officials said Guedes wants to break ground on the project very soon.
The Board of Aldermen, back in February, authorized Mayor David Cassetti and his staff to “negotiate, draft, finalize and execute” a contract to sell the Olson Drive property to Primrose Companies for $510,000, which was determined to be the fair market value.
Ansonia’s Chief Financial Officer Kurt Miller said the AHA itself can’t directly sell the property to Guedes, which is why the transfer of funds was necessary for the city to complete the sale.
A resolution approved by the Aldermen, in part, will grant Guedes a tax break on the property, which, once determined, will require aldermen approval. Residents will also be offered “facility space, financial discounts, or a combination of both” according to one of the resolution’s terms.
The Olson Drive property previously housed an 11-building complex of 160 government-subsidized housing named Riverside Apartments, which the city demolished in 2016. The complex was outdated and had fallen into disrepair.
Guedes has proposed building a 39,000-square foot indoor soccer facility and a FIFA regulation-sized outdoor soccer field, as well as a second, 49,000-square-foot, multi-sports facility/and/or NCAA indoor skating rink.
“The closing marks a significant milestone in recent Ansonia history: the transfer of Olson Drive from the Ansonia Housing Authority to the city opens up an tremendous opportunity for revitalization not only of the site, but the entire downtown area,” Marini said. As Mayor Cassetti has made clear, it is this city’s goal to pursue family-oriented commercial development that serves the recreational needs of the community, while also attracting new visitors to our city.”
Guedes told the Valley Indy earlier this year that he has lined up Ole Soccer, based in Fairfield, to occupy the soccer training space. He said Ole Soccer currently has 24 soccer teams from across Connecticut that train at the Fairfield facility. According to a letter of intent that Guedes accepted from Ole Soccer, both the facility and outdoor soccer field will be used “for soccer team sporting events, training and entertainment.”
Guedes had said he’s also negotiating with a few different sports providers to take up shop in the larger building.
“This is going to be a facility that currently doesn’t exist in the Valley,” Guedes said. “It will be a fantastic addition to the Ansonia downtown, and the Valley, in general, and will bring a lot of good people in and help the local business economy.”
While nearby Shelton’s Sports Center on River Road serves as a major source of recreation for the area, Guedes said that facility is primarily retail, whereas the Ansonia facility will be focused on sports training.
Guedes said he hopes to have the facility up and running perhaps before the end of the year. Once purchased, he’ll submit plans to the Ansonia Planning and Zoning Commission to review. He hopes to start construction by July 1. The P&Z is where the developer will have to show there’s enough parking to do what he wants to do.
