Middletown Developer Set to Buy Haddam Parcel for Garage, Office, Retail

The Middletown developer who was at the center of a fraught zoning change in the city's residential district is set to buy the defunct state eco-tourism property in Haddam and use it as a storage facility, field office and possible retail shop.

Centerplan Construction chief executive officer Bob Landino presented his company's plans at the Haddam Planning and Zoning Commission's Oct. 7 meeting, according to a story in the Haddam Bulletin.

The town is in final discussions to sell the former eco-tourism information center property at 105 Bridge Street in the Tylerville section of town to the Middletown developer, who has proposed to demolish the structure on the 2.4-acre parcel, according to the Bulletin.

The influential developer, whose headquarters is on the second floor of Middletown's Rite Aid building on Main Street, intends to build a 6,000-square-foot garage to house its construction equipment, a field office and retail space, according to the Bulletin.

The Bulletin article alludes to an alleged deal between Haddam officials and the real estate agent involving the Tylerville property.

Landino told the Haddam zoning board construction would begin in the spring, reports the Bulletin in a lengthy feature on the history of the controversial one-time state Department of Transportation land in its November issue.

Landino and Centerplan were widely criticized by Middletown residents, Wesleyan University students and staff when it announced in December 2012 plans to relocate the college's bookstore to a residential zone on Route 66.

Publicly supported by Mayor Dan Drew, the city's economic development chair and the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce president, the now stalled plans for a 20,000-square-foot drive-though and retail-restaurant complex on the corner of Pearl and Washington streets were met with outcry and protests earlier this year.

In March, after two public hearings that packed council chambers, the Centerplan request to reclassify the city's historic Washington Street land as a mixed-use zone was approved by Middletown's planning and zoning board.

A lawsuit filed by High Street resident Jennifer Proto against the Middletown Planning and Zoning Commission and Acquisition Holdings, the parent of Centerplan Companies, charges that one or more commission members received evidence after the public hearing through private communications.

Named in the suit are every member of the planning and zoning commission, including the two alternates, planning director Bill Warner, deputy planning director Michiel Wackers, Smith, deputy city attorney Kori Wisnecki, zoning enforcement officer Bruce Driska, planning department secretary Susan Nesco, and architect Jeff Bianco.

The dispute, still wending its way through Middlesex Superior Court, has put Centerplan's project on hold, however two of the four Washington Street parcels are up for sale as retail/residential plots.

Trevor Davis Real Estate lists the 5,600-square-foot multifamily home at 166 Washington Street owned by the Valente family for sale at $399,000. Also for sale is 125 Washington Street, a three-family 2,609-foot home, for $350,000.