Newtown continues to be the right choice for businesses seeking a diverse selection of commercial and industrial properties that are immediately available at interchanges 9, 10 and 11 along I-84. The Interstate along with CT Routes 6, 25, 34 and 302 provide excellent access to markets in neighboring communities in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. Newtown is convenient for commuters and air travel and is less than an hour drive to lower Fairfield, Hartford and New Haven Counties. These transportation corridors provide ease of access for workers, services and for shipment of goods to and from their markets. Newtown is attractive to residents and companies who recognize the benefits of our location when seeking convenience and access to resources in the northeast. So why not check us out! Newtown is poised for growth - we have several shovel ready development sites available - and we want to get your business up and running quickly.
Earlier this year, the Economic Development Commission worked with the administration and land use agency on several business development initiatives. Newtown's Fast Track program streamlines the land use permitting process to 45 days from submission. The economic development and land use staff will work one on one with applicants to help fast track their project and bring it through the land use review boards. The EDC also updated our Business Incentive Program to allow additional bonuses for commercial development projects and for manufacturing businesses. Newtown also joined Connecticut's C-PACE program which provides financing alternatives for eligible energy upgrades made to existing commercial and industrial properties. All initiatives are meant to save you money!
At the same time that we worked on programs to encourage growth, we also worked on infrastructure upgrades. An extension of the public water system and new streetscape in Sandy Hook Village are nearing completion. The work involved extending the public water system to serve more customers, a realignment of the main intersection, an upgraded traffic signal that includes pedestrian crossings, new curbing, sidewalks, lighting and landscaping. Improvements have been key factors for a few new businesses including The Village Perk and the Foundary Kitchen and Tavern. Flint Ridge Development Corp. is working on a renovation to convert a former historic residence into a retail and office use complete with parking and future building additions. Several units at Greenview at Newtown, a new 26 unit multiple housing community in Sandy Hook, have been sold this summer. Work is also progressing on the Hawleyville sewer extension where large tacks of privately owned land await development. This area of Newtown has several projects already approved and has the potential to attract major development. Hawleyville sits directly off I-84 at Exit 9 close to the border with Bethel.
Another transformative project is slated for Rte. 6 at Exit 10 off I-84. The area will be transformed into a clean and welcoming gateway into Newtown when Edmond Rd. is realigned with Commerce Rd. and two commercial developments on Church Hill Rd. are completed. The planned redevelopment of two vacant lots on Church Hill Rd. combined with the road realignment creates benefits beyond aesthetics as the road work will improve the safety of the Rte. 6 corridor and several acres of land will become available for commercial development on Edmond Rd. The 23 acres at the Newtown Technology Park, businesses along Church Hill, Commerce Rd. and Edmond Rd. will also benefit from the traffic improvements. The new gateway will be a welcoming sight for business owners, visitors and residents who enter Newtown en-route to commercial centers in the Borough and Sandy Hook Center.
The redevelopment at the Fairfield Hills campus is also progressing. Several buildings upon the campus will be cleaned up and removed to open the site for new uses. Infrastructure and streetscape upgrades are underway and should be completed by the end of the year. Construction of a new 15,000 s/f ambulance facility that will house the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Associate (NVAA) is underway. The conversion of a former staff housing duplex into an office building for the Newtown Parent Connection (NPC) is planned and a third building is slated for renovation into a Children's Museum. Fundraising by the not for profit EverWonder group is underway for the Children's Museum. The museum will be the fourth tenant for the campus and will be an anchor tenant joining the Newtown Youth Academy and the Newtown Municipal Center. The campus is a multi-use property owned by the municipality and has several development plots available for lease.
The Newtown Way - buy local first is gaining local momentum with businesses pitching in to emphasize the economic benefits that are gained when doing business locally. The Newtown Way campaign encourages residents, merchants and companies to buy local first before going out of town or to the Internet for goods and services that can be found locally. Merchants are gearing up for small business Saturday in November. Another phase involving a business to business plan is underway.
Elizabeth Stocker, AICP, is Newtown's director of economic and community development and president of the Connecticut Economic Development Association.