Car Dealership Eyes Old Dworkin Chevrolet Property In Derby

A group of investors wants to clean up the former Dworkin Chevrolet on Seymour Avenue and open a high-end” used car dealership.

We are going to convert the (property) into a show place. When people drive on Route 8 they will be captivated by the ambiance and the beautification of the property,” Drew Wolf told the members of the Aldermen’s blight subcommittee during a meeting Tuesday in Derby City Hall.

Wolf was speaking on behalf of the NEAWG Group, the entity in the process of purchasing the property. They have yet to submit a formal application to the Derby Planning and Zoning Commission for review, and they don’t own the property — but they’re close to finalizing a deal.

We anticipate, within the next 10 days, a closing,” Wolf said.

That’s great,” said Alderman Carmen DiCenso, chairman of the blight committee.

DiCenso’s happy because the property fell into a state of major disrepair after the dealership closed in 2009. Neighbors have complained it has become a dumping ground.

The blight committee was considering using Derby’s new clean and lien” law to enter the property, clean the mess, then put a lien on the property. The property, with addresses at 196 and 198 Seymour Ave., has been on the city’s blight list, where it has been subjected to $100-a-day fines for some time.

The amount owed on the blight fine wasn’t available Wednesday, but the information will be added to this story Thursday. Update — on Thursday, building officials said the property was placed on the blight list on April 29, 2014, which would put the fine in the neighborhood of $24,000.

Court records show the city is also in the process of foreclosing on the property, which owes thousands in back taxes.

Wolf said his group intends to clean the property, tear down a dilapidated building on the Hawkins Street side of the property, and do extensive landscaping.

He apologized for the appearance of the property, even though he had nothing to do with the eyesore.

We have contractors lined up and cleaning crews at the ready, waiting for the ink to dry on the contract. We’ll be right in there the day after the closing,” he said.

DiCenso indicated city Aldermen may consider lowering the blight fine if Wolf’s group makes progress to clean up the property.

Wolf’s group has hired Greg Grew, of Grew Design, Inc. in Woodbury, as architect. 

Wolf and Grew were at the November 2014 meeting of the Derby Planning and Zoning Commission for an informal” discussion about their idea for the property.

According to meeting minutes, Wolf said the business would be like a high end Car Max in that it would rely heavily on the Internet for customers.

Click here to download the meeting minutes from November.

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