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Newington EDC seeks to move town-center projects forward, discusses outreach to state economic and tourism offices
Summary
Commissioners agreed to inventory Plan of Conservation and Development priorities and begin implementation steps for the town-center master plan—initial signage and a traffic study are funded—while volunteers will explore outreach to state economic development and tourism contacts to pursue grants and promotion.
The Newington Economic Development Commission discussed steps to implement the town-center master plan and to pursue outside support from state agencies. Planning staff said roughly $195,000 in capital allotments are earmarked to start work on sign updates and an initial traffic study to improve connectivity and prepare for anticipated infill projects.
Commissioners said the first phase is to complete actionable items that help existing businesses and make the center more attractive to developers. "This is what that implementation money is moving forward in that direction," a town planner said, noting signage and traffic analysis as top priorities.
Why it matters: Commissioners framed the implementation work as groundwork to make reuse or infill projects easier at the zoning-review stage and to increase the likelihood developers proceed with projects that align with the town's vision.
The commission also discussed using state resources to promote Newington. A commissioner who attended the Connecticut Tourism Coalition noted CT Visit's current paid-media budget (about $900,000 this year) and cited a statistic raised at that meeting that every dollar spent on tourism yields a reported $9 return; Senator Cathy Osten was referenced in that discussion. Commissioners asked staff to identify contacts and to consider coordinated outreach to the State Department of Economic Development and local legislators (Matt Ford and Gary Turco were named as possible contacts).
Several commissioners volunteered steps the EDC could take now, including creating an inventory of projects assigned to the commission under the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD), prioritizing those projects, and preparing materials so the commission can respond quickly when state or private opportunities arise. "If that's something, through the chair, I'd be interested in doing that," one commissioner said, volunteering to help compile a project list.
The commission also reviewed redevelopment parcels repeatedly raised in the master-plan discussion, including the Keeney building and the Hartford HealthCare/Cedarcrest hospital campus. Speakers noted that those properties involve additional constraints—for example, rezoning and cleanup obligations for state-owned parcels—and emphasized the EDC's role in supporting zoning outcomes and preparing town-backed development priorities rather than directing sale or marketing decisions.
Next steps: Commissioners agreed to start an internal review of POCD-assigned projects, identify priority items, and gather contact information for state tourism and economic development staff to explore grant and promotional opportunities. The commission voted earlier in the meeting to approve the prior meeting minutes and later adjourned without taking further formal votes on implementation actions.
