A redevelopment project for downtown Derby is expected to begin in the spring or summer, Derby officials said Wednesday.
California-based Eclipse Development has been talking about building about several stores totaling 180,000 square feet of commercial space in an area along the Housatonic River stretching roughly from the Derby-Shelton bridge to the former Lifetouch property on Derby’s Main Street.
Now the plan is to do the project in phases, starting first with a smaller chunk.
The first phase would start later this year with the construction of 30,000 square feet of commercial space. The project would expand down the road, with the hope that the economy improves.
“It’s great news, especially in economic times that are bad for the whole world,” Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri said.
The troubled economy has hindered Eclipse Development from landing some mid-size or larger tenants that usually anchor shopping centers. The larger retailers have been flirting with Eclipse — but they simply are not committing to new locations at this time, officials said.
The idea now is to get the redevelopment project off the ground with a restaurant and three to five smaller retailers — businesses that are ready to go. The thought is that the larger tenants will sign on down the line.
Eclipse Development’s president, Douglas Gray, spoke Tuesday night at a meeting of the Derby Redevelopment Agency. Click here to read a story by the Valley Gazette’s Susan Hunter, who attended the meeting.
“The way he described it, he has tenants that are very interested that want to start right now,” said Ken Hughes, an Alderman and member of the Derby Redevelopment Agency. “And then he has larger tenants that are very interested, but they are saying ‘You know, let’s wait and see what the economy is like six to seven months from now.”
E‑mails seeking comment were sent to Eclipse executives prior to and after the Redevelopment Agency meeting.
Derby officials said the first phase of the project would be about 30,000 square feet, to be built on land near Route 8 — including the former Lifetouch property at 90 Main St.
The first phase would include a restaurant accompanied by three to five retail shops. The retail shops would be between 5,000 and 6,500 square feet, according to Sheila O’Malley, Derby’s economic development director.
The tenants have not been named, but other Eclipse projects in the U.S. include Olive Garden restaurants, Quiznos sandwich shops and Starbucks coffee shops. Click here to visit the company’s website.
Eclipse Development is finalizing a deal that will see the company purchase the former Lifetouch property, O’Malley said.
Lifetouch has been called a key property in the Derby redevelopment zone. Eclipse has been trying to purchase the property for a long time — and the status of the deal was raised as a campaign issue during the last Derby election.
“Eclipse still has the financing and he still has the tenants, which is awesome,” Staffieri said. “It hasn’t moved as quickly as everyone would have liked because of the economy, but the important thing is that it is moving.”
The Derby redevelopment project has been dragging along for years — and becomes a political football every two years during the local election cycle. The issue has a ‘boy who cried wolf’ vibe to many residents.
“It has been a sore subject, and a subject of negativity,” said Joe Bomba, a former Alderman and current chairman of the Derby Redevelopment Agency. “But the important thing is that there are tenants interested and the developer wants to move forward with the project. That is a great thing for Derby.”
