EDC Sponsors Bus Tour to Spark Commercial Development

Like a tour of celebrity homes in Hollywood, the Suffield familiarization tour took a busload of local political, business, and civic leaders on a tour of hot spots for development in the town.

The tour was organized by Suffield's Economic Development Commission and hit some 36 target sites on its journey around town. It featured a pit stop at the Bridge Street School, offering participants a look at the town-owned property.

Embarking from the Suffield Country Club on Wednesday, Sept. 28, the bus was packed with some 45 spectators from a spectrum of businesses and backgrounds. State Sen. John Kissel and State Rep. and Town Clerk Elaine O'Brien attended the tour, along with Tax Collector Jill Schechtman and Town Planner Bill Hawkins.

Suffield Director of Economic Development Patrick McMahon said this year's tour was very successful. He was happy to include several of the property owners of the parcels on the tour, and be able to have them speak directly with commercial real estate brokers and financiers.

High on the list of priorities for Suffield is the property surrounding Bradley
Airport. Gov. Dannel Malloy and legislative leaders last month appointed members to a new committee charged with overseeing the operation and development of Bradley International Airport and the other airports in Connecticut. Made up of former legislators and business leaders, the authority is set to meet for the first time in the upcoming months.

Property developers in the new Bradley Development Zone can qualify for tax incentives both on property taxes and corporate taxes if the business meets the use criteria for the zone. Several of the parcels on the tour were located in the recently created zone.

The only stop on the tour where passengers disembarked was at Bridge Street School in the town center. Owned by the town, and being used primarily for storage, the old school building represents an asset the town would like to see exploited, either for community use or commercial development.

"From the standpoint of the Economic Development Commission, the property could be used for economic development or a community purpose," McMahon said. "It's definitely a property that needs a resolution."

The town discontinued the use of a building as a school ten years ago. McMahon said it would definitely be a process to confirm the sale, requiring public hearings, land use permits and a Town Meeting. He said candidly that some community members may be opposed to the selling property in the town center to a private developer.

Other properties highlighted by the tour included Ffyler Place, 27.5 acres of property at 157 Mountain Road zoned in the town center village, and industrial and warehouse space in the Mach One industrial park at 15 Kenny Roberts Memorial Drive.

In addition to the bus tour, the participants were treated to a lunch sponsored by the First National Bank of Suffield at Suffield Country Club. The cost of the bus tour was split between the Economic Development Commission and the Real Estate Firm Merrigan and LeFebvre Realty, Inc. of Windsor Locks.

After lunch, the guests of the tour participated in a nine-hole golf scramble at the country club golf course.