Several commercial construction projects that were begun this year are nearing completion in Newtown. TNT Partners has made progress on the construction of its new headquarters building in Curtis Corporate Park. This telecom expense management company is expanding its Newtown operations into the new headquarters building from a site nearby. Several new jobs will be created once the company moves into the new offices. The Curtis Corporate Park has been helpful to economic expansion in Newtown with seven new businesses that have constructed new facilities and moved in over the past five years. The final space within a 25,000 s/f commercial/industrial condo may have a new manufacturing company that is considering a relocation from New York. The space is ready for this new business and the town is ready to welcome them to town.
Commercial projects under development on South Main St. (Rte. 25) include two shopping centers and a few smaller commercial projects. Plaza South is will contain 70,000 s/f of space and Highland Plaza involves the conversion of the former Fireside Inn and the construction of two new buildings. Together, the two shopping centers will add 126,000 s/f of new retail space to the corridor. A reuse project involving renovations to a former home and out buildings on the site are nearly complete. A new office building that will be the future home of a publishing company has broken ground. The village overlay zone along the Rte. 25 corridor permits the conversion of existing residential homes into office use which has much interest for smaller businesses who seek to occupy space along this highly traveled corridor.
Progress on the redevelopment of the Fairfield Hills Campus continues to be made. The Newtown Youth Academy, a privately funded 80,000 s/f sports complex, is on schedule for opening on November 1st. The Hawley Construction Company has an executed lease for Newtown Hall which will be renovated into 16,000 s/f of medical offices. Bridgeport Hall will be converted into a municipal office building by next summer and the demolition of Greenwich Hall is underway. Negotiations for Woodbury Hall are in process and planning for a new municipal parks and recreation facility is underway. Opportunities for private development upon the campus are available. Redevelopment pads and building reuse options are available for private occupancy. The Fairfield Hills Authority is actively working on promoting the campus for commercial redevelopment opportunities. More information including a Developer's Package is available on our home page.
The Borough of Newtown which is the historic center of Newtown has benefited from the recent development of new shops, offices, banks and restaurants along with streetscape elements that allow shoppers to walk between properties and from one business to another. Toro restaurant which opened on Church Hill Rd. (Rte. 6) this summer has quickly become a local favorite. A new office building was built directly across the street and is available for occupancy. Saint Rose is constructing additions to its school facilities and Caraluzzi's Market of Bethel will anchor Eton Center along with Wachovia Bank. Caraluzzi's Market will occupy a portion of the renovated building while a new building is under construction on Church Hill Rd. for Wachovia. A new convenience store and gas station are also approved for the Borough.
Further down Church Hill Rd. directly off exit 10 of I-84 and across from the infamous Blue Colony Diner, a 6,600 s/f commercial building is approved for construction. Plans for two new commercial projects in Sandy Hook Center have advanced to the permitting stages along with an affordable housing development. Land use approvals have also been given for a new 7,500 s/f commercial building in Hawleyville immediately off exit 9 of I-84.
Bus transit between Waterbury and Danbury and between Bridgeport and Danbury have been proposed by Housatonic Area Regional Transit (HART). The new transit routes will include stops in Newtown and will open new transportation options for employees and employers in the region. Service between Waterbury and Danbury may begin this fall. Newtown's location along the I-84 corridor offers ease of access for workers and the shipment of goods to and from their markets
Newtown's Economic Development Commission is ready to assist its businesses to grow locally and provides assistance to new companies to help get their businesses up and running in their Newtown location. A listing of available properties is accessible from the commission's web site at www.newtown.org.

Elizabeth Stocker, AICP is director of planning and community development for the Town of Newtown, Conn.