NEWS & EVENTS
Roosevelt to get its bond funds
BY JESSICA CIPARELLI Staff Writer To contact Jessica Ciparelli, e-mail her at jciparelli@remindernet.com.
VERNON- At first, Vernon Mayor Jason McCoy didn’t believe it when he was told that Gov. Jodi Rell was on the phone for him. He quickly found out it wasn’t a joke. The governor was personally calling McCoy to tell him the town would be granted $1.2 million in grant-in-aid funds so it can make good on its end of the pre-closing agreement made with Loom City Lofts, LLC for demolition work and cleanup/remediation work at Roosevelt Mills.
A scale model of what Loom City Lofts, LLC. envisions Roosevelt Mills to look like, after work is completed. Photo by Jessica Ciparelli. |
“[She] called and informed me it was going to be on the bonding agenda,” Mc-Coy said.
For Governor Rell, the Roosevelt Mills project fits into her overall platform of rehabilitating old mills and brownfield sites, a platform that she has embraced since her time as a legislator, McCoy said.
“This is the kind of stuff she’s trying to move forward,” said McCoy.
“Connecticut has many cities and towns that are trying to convert vacant mill sites into new uses,” Governor Rell said. “The adaptive re-use of former industrial properties is consistent with my responsible growth goals and helps the towns’ economic base in the process.”
Last year, the funding, part of a multi-billion bonding package, was vetoed by the governor. The title for Roosevelt Mills was turned over to Joseph Vallone, principal of Loom City Lofts, LLC, last October, but funding for the town’s portion of the project was still uncertain, although those involved were hopeful that the state funds would come through. State Rep. Claire Janowski, at the time, said the governor had the power to take any of the projects in the original bond package and put them on the bond agenda.
“I was fairly confident, I just didn’t know the time period,” said McCoy, in terms of receiving the funds. “Governor Rell was really pulling back on the amount [of bonds] she was issuing.”
The Roosevelt Mills project has been ongoing for the past five years, basically through three mayoral administrations – Diane Wheelock, Ellen Marmer and now, Jason McCoy.
“I’m glad I was lucky enough to be mayor when this occurred,” said Mc-Coy. “It’s a huge thing – it’s a great project he [Vallone] has put together and he’s waited a long time.”
Roosevelt Mills, a former sweater factory, was built in 1906. The reinforced concrete building has sat as a vacant eyesore since the mid-1980s. Loom City Lofts, LLC’s plan is to develop the building into a mix of residential and commercial uses. Sixty-eight, mostly one-bedroom apartments are planned for the upper floors, with four, 2,500 square foot units of retail and office space planned for the first floor.
“This grant will spur the creative redevelopment of a mill that for too long has been an eyesore and safety hazard in Rockville,” said Gov. Rell.
For developer Joe Vallone, who first stepped onto the property in July 2002, and signed an option to purchase the property with Diane Wheelock in January 2003, the phone call from Mayor Mc-Coy was most welcomed.
“I’m so pleased that this is actually going to happen. I think the town should be very proud,” Vallone said, adding that he is happy the town supported the project and worked hard to make this newest development in the project happen. He wanted to thank former Town Administrator Larry Shaffer, current Town Administrator Christopher Clark, the three mayors he worked with, Sen. Tony Guglielmo and Rep. Claire Janowski for their roles in getting the project to where it is today.
While he took title of the property in October, Vallone had not been able to close on his construction grant until this funding was approved. He expects to close on the construction loan in May, but in the meantime, Vallone said he will work with the town to help get the bid package out for demolition work.
“We will work on the bid package in conjunction with the DECD [Department of Economic and Community Development] because it’s still government money,” Vallone said.
Once the construction loan is in place, Vallone expects the project to be completed in 15-18 months.
Because the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Vallone said he had to have the design approved by the National Parks Service. He also cannot alter the facade in any major way.
“They want that building to remain as close to its original flavor, right down to the replacement windows,” Vallone said. He will have to install similar win dows that were in place in 1906, with al lowances made for efficiency standards “It’s really important for Rockville understand it has a very significant in dustrial past, and it’s something to be proud of, not ashamed of,” said Vallone
The bond commission, chaired by Gov. Rell, will meet Jan. 25.
