Long-Vacant Vernon Strip Mall Seems Primed for Tenant

VERNON, CT — A long-vacant strip mall on Route 83 seems to finally be primed for a tenant after a liquor store received a variance from local regulatory authorities.

The saga of the Talcottvolle Plaza, situated along a stretch of Route 83 and known locally as 206 Talcottville Road, can be traced back to 2012, when the property owners began to work "on and off" about developing it, Vernon Economic Development Coordinator Shaun Gately said.

A site plan for the Talcottville Plaza received Planning and Zoning Commission approval back in April of 2016 an d construction was completed in November of 2017, Gately said.

After what Gately described as a long search for tenants, principals of a liquor store sought permission to open up in that area, but it didn’t meet the 3,000-foot "separating distance" that Vernon’s zoning regulations require.

It was 2,935 from the next closest store.

The liquor store owners asked for a variance of 65 feet from the Zoning Board of Appeals and, on Aug. 16, were granted one, subject to any appeals, Gately said.

Gately said there is currently no formal start date for the conversion to a liquor store.

Photo Credit: Chris Dehnel

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