
The City of Ansonia posted this image to Facebook in May to promote the idea of selling public land for a private sports complex on Olson Drive.
ANSONIA — The city will hold a public hearing on Tuesday (June 28) on the proposed sale of Olson Drive and a connected tax break.
Members of the Board of Aldermen are scheduled to hold the public hearing at 6 p.m. in the Aldermanic Chambers at City Hall, 253 Main St.
The city wants to sell the vacant land to Primrose Companies for $510,000.
THE DEAL
Primrose President/CEO John Guedes said the property will be developed into a private sports complex. A proposed tax incentive between the city and the buyer would see the property assessment frozen at $2 million for three years, then increase 5 percent per year for 14 years. Click here to read the tax incentive document.
Click here to read the overall agreement to sell the land.
Sheila O’Malley, the city’s economic development director and grant writer, said the Primrose project on Olson Drive has the potential to attract up to three businesses. A soccer business — Ole Soccer — has already been named.
“From an economic development standpoint, this is one of the most significant projects that the City of Ansonia will ever undertake,” O’Malley said. “Not only are you increasing the tax base with two to three income-generating businesses, but you are drawing thousands of people into Ansonia, and that totally transforms the community.”
Guedes has previously described the Olson Drive project as having 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. Correction: no skating rink is planned.
According to the proposed agreement, residents will also be offered discounts of at least 10 percent for using any of the sports programs there, and the city will be permitted to utilize the outdoor field space, free of charge, on up to 10 occasions annually.
Mayor David Cassetti’s administration has been pushing the project since 2019, and undertook a long process to buy the land from the Ansonia Housing Authority.
The land was previously home to a federally-subsidized housing complex.
SUPPORT
Cassetti said getting the property back on the tax rolls makes sense in order to grow Ansonia’s tax base and make downtown Ansonia more attractive to investment. There are new restaurants and housing all along Main Street. Olson Drive is across the Naugatuck River, not far from downtown’s West Main and Main street areas.
Ansonia Republicans and the administration view the private recreation complex as part of a “recharged Ansonia.”
Members of the Cassetti administration said they worked hard to convince the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development to relinquish control of its Olson Drive land, something that HUD officials said they would never do just 10 years ago.
OPPOSITION
However, not everyone in Ansonia is on board with the sale.
Ansonia Democrats have been critical of the Cassetti’s administration steps to flip the land, saying the city is selling the land on the cheap, offering mixed messages to the public, not following the city charter, offering tax breaks that are too sweet, and making sure only one developer gets a shot at buying the land.
John Feddern, chairman of the Ansonia Town Democratic Committee, said the deal’s final details need more scrutiny.
“I am all for economic development that will help the hardworking people of Ansonia. What the city government is rushing through is a bad deal for Ansonia taxpayers,” he said. “People should be furious. This sells out taxpayers and sells this property’s value short. They advertised they only wanted bids for a facility with one indoor and one outdoor field. They clearly tailored the bid request for one bid they had in mind. Why was the RFP so specific that the average developer would not be interested? Are city officials profiting from this? The residents should be up in arms and demand this dirty deal be halted, the property be properly valued by an agreed upon professional appraisal company for all of its uses, and a proper bid process be followed so the citizens of Ansonia can see what their options really are for this property. This is their right per the city charter, which was designed to be a safeguard for taxpayers.”
RESPONSE
In response to Feddern’s comment, Mayor Cassetti said local Democrats are willing to sabotage anything positive to score political points and negative press. Meanwhile, Team Cassetti increases its margins of victory over local Democrats every two years at the polls. Cassetti also took a shot at state Rep. Kara Rochelle, a Democrat who represents Ansonia and Derby in Hartford.
“This is the most transparent administration this city has ever seen,” Cassetti said. “In what way am I corrupt? This is all behind Kara Rochelle and some other Democrats who are constantly trying to put a wrench in everything I do. I’m trying to change the way the city has been run for the last 120 years, and they’re looking to put a stop and block everything we’re trying to do. They have FOI’d me to death and we give them everything they request, and they have no response because they can’t find anything. We are 100 percent transparent. Just drive around Ansonia and the proof is there, in all the progress we’ve made.”
Rochelle said she did not understand why the mayor brought her into a city legal matter.
“As state Representative, my work is focused on increasing town aid, lowering taxes, and funding economic development projects in Ansonia and Derby. While I serve as Vice-Chair of the Commerce Committee in Hartford, taking the lead on crafting economic development policy with the State Department of Economic and Community Development, at this point I have not been consulted or approached by city officials on this project,” Rochelle said in an email. “ However, I’m always available if the Mayor or Alders would like professional support or guidance.”
OTHER USES? TAX BREAK?
Alderman Tony Mammone said he understands that some residents want to see Olson Drive become a park, but there are costs associated with such uses.
“Ansonia currently has several under-utilized parks; Nolan field and playground, the Nature Center and Colony Park just to name a few. There are maintenance expenses associated with an added park, not just including the PW cost, but insurance, maintenance, lighting, and other costs,” Mammone said.
He also pointed out the Olson Drive project was highlighted repeatedly by Republicans during the last election cycle – and residents voted for Republicans.
Mammone, who also serves as chairman of the Ansonia Town Republican Committee, said a tax break is a good tool to lure developers to Ansonia.
“This is a $13 million improvement to this parcel of land that will be transformative for our city. Unfortunately, there are not many investors lined up with a $13 million dollar investment plan for this parcel of land. A compromise will be reached to be sure it makes good financial sense for both the city and developer,” Mammone said in an email.
LAWSUIT
The Olson Drive land sale also faces a challenge in the form of a lawsuit from resident Matt McGowan. The Valley Indy previously reported on the lawsuit here.
The lawsuit alleges that the city is not following the Ansonia City Charter and state law when it comes to selling land — starting with the assertion the land should have been put out to bid without strings attached.
McGowan filed the lawsuit May 18, and filed an amended complaint on June 16. The lawsuit seeks to compel Ansonia to follow the rules — something the Cassetti administration says they are already doing.
McGowan, through local lawyer Thomas G. Egan, filed for a motion for a temporary injunction on June 21 to pause the deal until the merits of the case are heard.
“The city has acted out of compliance with city charter and state law to rush through a deal it had no business making in the fashion it did,” Egan said in an email. “This may be a David and Goliath issue, but it is felt that the people of Ansonia deserve a city government that does not cut corners to rush a questionable deal instead of appropriately following all steps to evaluate the best options for the public, including with public input as dictated by the charter. It is our hope that the city complies with city and state law, and that the end result for residents is a deal that is in the best interest of the hardworking taxpayers of this community.”
Ansonia’s Corporation Counsel John Marini said the lawsuit “has no merit whatsoever and is a complete waste of taxpayer money.”
He drafted an objection to the motion for temporary injunction, and was planning to file a motion to dismiss the case.
Marini’s written objection characterizes McGowan’s lawsuit as politically motivated and malicious.
“The lawsuit is a stunt supported by a small handful of Democrats who robotically oppose all initiatives proposed by Mayor Cassetti and his administration,” Marini said via an email.
He noted the appraisal for the property was done by an independent party, and reviewed and accepted by HUD.
Marini said the lawsuit is without merit because it does not take into account the unique circumstances of Olson Drive — namely that Ansonia had to convince HUD to relinquish the land, including a deed restriction. The city charter and city code as written did not envision such scenarios, Marini said.
“The Board of Aldermen has the right — and obligation — to interpret the City Charter in a manner consistent with common sense and the interests of the public,” Marini said.
Egan said the city jumped the gun in its effort to acquire and sell the property.
“After the city acquired the property in April of 2022, there are 13 steps that the city was supposed to follow,” Egan said. “It failed to do so, skipping several steps and going straight to selling it off. Mr. Marini can attempt to spin the circumstances but we believe city charter, state law, and the rights of my client and all city residents were violated. The “negotiated deal” was only released to the public yesterday, the city scheduled a 15 minute public hearing for Tuesday (June 28) and the paperwork states they plan to sell it by June 30th (one week from publicly releasing this supposed deal).”