Bysiewicz Industrial Site Comments
Description: This site is on Middle Street and privately owned. This industrial site contains approximately 35 acres. The site has city water, sewer and storm water utilities. Gas and electrical not at the site currently but are expected.
The time period for posting comments on “Suggeted Sites” has expired. The comments submitted are listed on the right.
Thanks!
Armed Forces Reserve Center: Middletown, CT 
With the assistance of W. Warner (Director, Planning, Conservation and Development) the Panel identified approximately 55 sites having a total area over 25 acres, the minimum requirement as specified by the Army. From this list over 40 sites were initially removed due to several fundamental concerns such as a sites residential zone, impact on neighborhoods, isolation, extensive wetlands, floodplains, etc. The remaining list contained fourteen (14) sites (one site had two access options). A screening of these sites removed ten (10) from further consideration for multiple reasons including sale pending, abutting existing open space, prior delisting by the Army, prior Common Council opposition, topographic constraints or lack of an appropriate size. One property, Pratt and Whitney was also rejected because in our opinion the remediation of the site would clearly exceed the Army’s timeline for development.
As a result of this review process four (4) sites remained for the Panel to evaluate in greater detail using the following criteria: Least Significant Environmental Impact; Enhances Middletown in a Meaningful Way; Creates Economic Opportunities; and, Consistency with Sound Land Planning; The sites are the Manthay Property, Bysiewicz Property, CL&P River Road Property and Cucia Park. Each panel member rated each site and criteria from 0 – 10 (highest value). One panel member was out of the city and could not participate but was in agreement with the panel findings. In total, six (6) panel members and the Director of Planning, Conservation and Development provided scores (Total, 7). The scores were averaged and totaled to arrive at a final score.
Key Findings:
The Panel’s key findings are summarized below:
Bysiewicz Property (#3, Score 13.4)
• Approved commercial and industrial subdivision and represents significant industrial growth opportunity
• Major economic loss to the city
Bysiewicz property comments.
1. This property is located adjacent to the Boardman Lane property. Any negatives associated with Boardman lane, like neighborhood impacts, apply to this site also.
2. A lose, lose for the city. This is a viable industrial property being developed now for industry. Its potential tax revenue will be lost.
3. Where is Secretary of State Bysiewicz now? She was so willing to condem the use of the Boardman Lane site for the army’s use but, now that her family wants to profit from the same use on their adjacent property, she is silent.
Better an already degraded Industrial Site than a neglected Park or Boardman Lane. Boardman Lane is currently a farm. Are there residents near Cucia Park ? Nice photo of Cucia Park in Middletown Press today. The Bysiewicz Property is approved for industrial subdivision. An Army Facility, while not generating any tax benefits, could be a better neighbor than a dozen small industrial tenants.
This city has major financail troubles and can not afford to lose any tax base, my taxes go up every year no matter who the Mayor is, save the industrial land and send the Army to the park or Mile Lane..
I work in the industrial park, its great to work and live in Middletown. We need more industry, the government needs to stay out of the good workings of the private market. Go to the park and save the citys tax base. Plus I heard Middletown is one of the most distressed citys in the state, the call it a distressed municipality, we cant afford to lose taxes and good jobs. Some body has to pay for the added poilice, ambulanbce and fire protection when 800 soliders come every weekend.
I check out this parcel of land today and a lot of site work has already been done. This would allow the Army to move much faster into the construction phase. I think this would be a good choice.
Sure but does Lori live in Middletown, does she enjoy rising taxes every year, we cant affor to lose any more potential industrial areas.
With taxes rising in Middletown, we cannot afford to lose a substantial amount of tax revenue. While building the AFRC on the Bysiewicz property would have a minimal impact on neighbors, it would place a significant financial burden on the City of Middletown and its taxpayers.
Potential Tax loss to City is key factor against this otherwise appealing choice. Also, no proceeds. On the otherhand, a dozen industrial tenants will not be materializing like magic on this site and work has not progressed recently. from a conservation point of view, an Army base could be kinder than a cluster of potential tax-paying entities. If the Base were here , the Cucia Park coould remain, Fong’s would still benefit and the residents would not be much disturbed. A good fall back site if Cucia Park is too wet or too steep to meet the Army’s needs.
This is another site that should not be considered. With the the Aetna facility in a very unstable condition, why are we getting rid of valuable taxable property? Score one for Cucia Park.
Let’s hope that this site doesn’t rise to the top of the Army’s list just because the land is already cleared and partially prepared for building. This industrial park represents significant future tax revenue for Middletown. Should the Army pick this site just because it’s best for the construction timeline, we’ll know that NO ONE paid any attention to the feedback Middletown residents and officials have been SCREAMING since June.
If the City of Middletown should have to bear the additional burden of fire protection, road maintenance and the like, the least the Army could do is site the project in the location the CITY deems best.
The City has supported some very bad sites in the past. While Cucia Park may offer the best solution to date, it must be considered on its merits and should not be supported just because it is the City’s current choice. Who knows what sites have escaped their notice? Loss of tax base and/or loss of open space are both very important issues. Neither Cucia nor Bysiewicz have fulfilled their potential. If they were to do so, there is room for disagreement concerning which would be more valuable to the citizens of Middletown.
This would be a 3rd choice in my opinion, anything is better than dooley/boardman, but Cucia park and mile lane represent the least harm to Middletown as a whole.
This site has the potential to generate tax revenue for Middletown. It is ideally suited and already zoned for industrial uses. It would be an unfair burden on the citizens of Middletown to permanently remove tax revenue by using the Bysiewicz site.