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Meriden committee hears progress reports on housing, biotech, grocery and downtown renovations
Summary
City staff briefed the committee on active projects across Meriden, including multifamily work at 85 Tremont and B Street, biotech space at Research Parkway, a Whole Foods production kitchen nearing CO, and downtown redevelopment at Colony and 43 East Main.
Meriden’s Economic Development Committee received an update from director Joe Fest and planning director Megan Pila on active construction and approvals across the city, as residents flagged downtown safety and code enforcement during public comment.
The staff presentation outlined several projects under construction or in review. Fest said 85 Tremont Street (about 82 two‑bedroom units) is mostly framed and “moving along nicely.” The B Street development—three buildings and roughly 107 units—has all structures framed with one building about 80% complete. Fest said the biotech facility at 875 Research Parkway is likely two and a half months from completion.
Megan Pila told the committee the Planning Commission approved a conditional 14‑lot subdivision for Yale Gardens LLC (50 Yale Ave., 147 Ann St., 67 Ann Butte Terrace) and noted a small resubdivision at 49 Bacon Street had been approved. Pila provided building‑department totals from July 1 through Aug. 14: 375 permits, about $129,000 in permit revenue, and roughly $8.7 million in total construction value; there was one permit for a new single‑family home in that period.
Other updates included a reported nearing CO for a Whole Foods production kitchen on Murdoch Avenue, a planned 238‑square‑foot drive‑through ATM addition for Members First Federal Credit Union (285 & 299 Broad St.) to be considered Sept. 10, and an administrative approval in the TOD zone for a bakery and limited‑service café at 43 East Main St. Fest said Pomeroy Avenue apartments have received COs and are open for leasing, and that work at 1000 Research Parkway will house the corporate offices of Eder Brothers and L & S Goodman, with an expected opening in mid to early summer next year.
Fest and Pila addressed member questions about a Colgate/Yale property that was revised from 14 to seven buildable lots after engineering review found existing water and sewer on Ann Street could not support houses fronting that road; the approved seven lots will front on Yale and a rear cluster phase could come later. Fest said staff will mark which projects are newly started in future presentations so members can track fresh activity separately from ongoing items.
The committee asked staff to continue clarifying which projects are new, which are ongoing and to prepare a strategy memo on task‑force properties and neighborhood‑preservation options. Fest said staff is preparing outreach for adjacent property owners pending legal review and will issue an RFP to find contractors for a neighborhood‑preservation program after an earlier vendor declined.
The committee set its next meeting for Sept. 16. The meeting record shows members approved the minutes of the previous meeting by voice vote before adjourning.
