This is the second of two articles. Last week”™s article focused on Stratford”™s efforts to clean abandoned former industrial sites. In this article, the town is seen burnishing its business-friendly attributes.
New businesses are replacing old ones throughout Stratford, especially in the downtown business district.
A few restaurants have been sold to new owners, including McCoy”™s Pub. The owner will turn the pub into a family-friendly restaurant called Nikki”™s Bar & Grill, which was set to open at the end of February.
“Stratford is being discovered as a business-friendly town,” said Karen Kaiser, Stratford”™s economic development director. “Whereas a company that”™s doing research before moving into a city or town is going from department to department spending weeks meeting with people, we”™re doing it all in one meeting up front. We”™re working with commercial national brokers and developers, networking and speaking with commercial lenders in the region.”
Recent deals include the $2 million-plus sale of Stratford Hotel on Lordship Boulevard.
Nouvo Pasta, a gourmet pasta production company that sells its products to star chef Mario Batali and stores such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe”™s and Costco, is moving its Stratford factory to 130 Honeyspot Road Ext. The move doubles the company”™s space and production capacity. A ribbon cutting is set for March.
St. Vincent”™s Health Services recently held a grand opening of its urgent care center in a 20,000-square-foot, two-story building at 3272 Main St.
Stratford Land Development plans to build and lease high-tech flex space in the Stratford Executive Park off of Lordship Boulevard. The developer received approval for tax abatements from the Town Council on one of the 500,000-square-foot buildings. The developer plans to build out two mixed-use buildings.
Connecticut Distributors Inc. is expanding its business in Stratford with a 50,000-square-foot addition to its building on Lordship Boulevard. A few months ago, the town was in jeopardy of losing the business, Kaiser said. But the town met with the company, architects and economic development leaders and helped Connecticut Distributors find a way to expand on its property and still abide by town code.
A property at 60 Beach Drive is also moving toward development, with the potential for a bar with a pool on the roof.
Residential projects have been dotting Stratford”™s neighborhoods as well. One of the biggest developments was AvalonBay Communities”™ apartment units, which were 95 percent leased as of January. Forest City Residential Management”™s 1111 Stratford, a 128-unit apartment complex, is 100 percent leased since opening in 2013.
“Stratford used to be an unrecognized jewel, but now it”™s definitely on the radar,” said Amy Knorr, economic development supervisor with the town. “Businesses from all over are calling us, and so many new businesses and developers are coming to town.”
