How long will you have to keep looking at the pile of rubble — the debris from a 2010 factory fire — on River Street?
The answer is not so simple.
But the factory’s owner, Alex Budzinski, said he hopes that for the town’s sake — and his own — the mess will be removed soon.
“It’s all coming along,” Budzinski said recently. “As we speak the neighbors are being notified of the demolition going to be taking place in the very near future.”
This isn’t the first time the owner has said the clean-up would start soon — and town officials have been expressing frustrations at the continued delays.
Background
The Housatonic Wire Co. factory on River Street burned down in September 2010. The fire was caused by blow torches used by contractors gathering scrap metal from the vacant factory.
Since then, the cleanup of the property has been held up by financial difficulties, and red tape getting a state loan released to Budzinski.
The site has also faced scrutiny over the public health concerns associated with dusting up 100-year-old materials.
In September 2011, the state Department of Economic and Community Development said it would give Budzinski a $200,000 low-interest loan to pay for cleaning up the site.
At the time of the press conference, officials expected the cleanup to start within weeks.
However, paperwork and approvals at the state level stalled the release of the money.
Budzinski said he is still waiting to hear back on whether he will get the money this month.
Mounting Frustrations
Residents and town officials have gotten impatient with the rubble-filled lot that takes up most of River Street.
Town officials have pushed Budzinski to start pulling demolition permits while he waits for his loan to be distributed by the state.
“There is nothing the town is doing to hold up this project,” First Selectman Kurt Miller said this month. “The ball is squarely in Mr. Budzinski’s court… He’s been dragging this on for many months now.”
Budzinski said he has to take things one step at a time.
The contractor — EnviroGuard of Seymour — won’t pull demolition permits until Budzinski can start paying him, Budzinski said.
While they wait, Budzinski and the contractor are applying for state Department of Public Health approval to remove the material from the site.
An earlier permit from the Department of Public Health for that specific purpose has expired while Budzinski waited for the loan money to come through.
Fingers Crossed
Budzinski said he hates to give a time frame for when the factory will be cleaned up, because so many early estimates have come and gone without any movement.
But this time, he’s fairly optimistic that the loan will come through within the next couple weeks.
“It’s going to take 4 to 6 weeks,” Budzinski said. “The machines will be gone, and that’s it. It will be down to a clean lot. And I can drive through town without people throwing rocks at me.”
While he waits, the state has decided to give Seymour a $500,000 grant for brownfield soil cleanup at the site. That grant won’t be used until the factory rubble is removed. But it will help the land become ready for new development.