Commercial Parcel In Vernon Being Cleaned Up, But Future Use A Mystery

VERNON, CT — A once dilapidated piece of land on Hartford Turnpike in Vernon is slowly being cleaned up, but a future use for it has not yet been determined.

That was the word from Vernon Economic Development Director Shaun Gately Tuesday.

The land sits along the 900 Block of Hartford Turnpike, the local name for that stretch of state Route 30. It still has the remnants of an old gas station that either looks like a walk back in time or what Taylor encountered as he rounded the corner of the beach at the end of "Planet of the Apes," depending on one's perspective.

Gately said the parcel was once split, seemingly for tax purposes, years ago. A private home sits on a half-acre and the old filling station on 6.596 acres, Gately said.

Most of the land has been cleared, save for the filling station pumps and garage, a few piles of rubble and an old pickup truck.

It was purchased by the owners of Vernon-based Mill Street Auto back in February under the name of a holding company, Gately said. The price tag was $250,000, according to the Vernon assessor's office.

A lot of cleanup work has taken place, Gately said.

Gately said he has had several discussions with the owners about potential uses, but so far nothing formal has been proposed. The land is zoned industrial, but any permitted uses have long since expired, he said. Any plans would have to go through the customary regulatory process from scratch, Gately said.