Housatonic Wire Co. Gets Clean-Up Loan

Clean up of the Houstaonic Wire Co. rubble could begin this month, after the building’s owner received a $200,000 brownfield loan from the state to complete the work.

The factory, on River Street in Seymour, was destroyed in a fire on Sept. 11, 2010. The crumbling remnants of the building have remained at the site for more than a year, while owner Alex Budzinski worked through insurance claims after the fire. 

First Selectman Paul Roy and Budzinski held a press conference at the site Thursday (Sept. 15) to announce the low-interest loan.

Roy said he contacted the state Department of Economic and Community Development over the summer and pressed them for help with funding. The DECD committed to a $200,000 loan. Budzinski said he received a commitment letter but has not received a check yet. 

Let me reiterate that this is a loan from the state, not the Town of Seymour,” Roy said at the press conference. The money comes from brownfield development loan funds.”
 
Budzinski thanked Roy for the help, because he could not personally arrange the financing to cover the cleanup costs.
 
I tried banks, the SBA (Small Business Administration), nobody could help me,” Budzinski said of his efforts to secure funding to clean the site.

Article continues after video.

Next Steps
 
What happens next is the key. Roy said he is hopeful that Amity Construction and Design is still interested in developing the property into a planned $20 million mixed-use development.
 
The owner of that development company, Russ Smith, could not be reached for comment Thursday but told the Valley Indy last September he still intended to pursue the project.
 
FILEHowever, no contracts have been signed so the property’s future is open, Budzinski said Thursday.
 
In the meantime, when the property is cleaned, the waterfalls adjacent to the former wire factory will be more open to public view, Roy said. He expressed hope there could be a park there so people could enjoy the waterfalls.

The town is also hoping to help market the former Seymour Lumber Co., adjacent to the wire company property. An on-site environmental study of the former lumber yard will be done soon through the Valley Council of Governments, said Fred A. Messore, the town’s new Economic Development Director.

State Help

The cleanup will hopefully help bring economic development to the once-bustling location, said Catherine H. Smith, Commissioner of the State Department of Economic and Community Development, who attended the press conference. 
 
This is a project that was easy to get behind. We are happy for the opportunity to help,” Smith said.

W. Kurt Miller, a member of the Board of Selectman who is running for First Selectman on the Republican ticket, said he is glad this day has finally come. 

It’s a long time coming. It should have been done a long time ago,” Miller said. 

He thanked State Rep. Len Greene Jr., State Sen. Kevin Kelly, State Sen. Rob Kane, R‑Watertown, for helping to make it happen behind the scenes. 

I am pleased to have been a part of the process that allowed Seymour to obtain this necessary loan from the state,” Greene, Jr. said in a statement. The effects of the Housatonic Wire fire are still being felt by the residents of Seymour and this loan will go a long way to help the town move forward.”

Sen. Kane said the loan was a team effort.”

We want to do all we can to improve the quality of life in the community,” Kane said in a statement. This is a positive step and we hope to continue to work together to bring about even more positive news for the town.”

Background

The factory caught fire on Sept. 11, 2010, after contractors were using blow torches inside to collect scrap metal from piping.
 
The Seymour Fire Marshal’s office ruled the cause of the fire undetermined,” but said it was most likely caused by the blow torches being used by workers.
 
No one was injured in the fire, which started on the second floor of the building.

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