BACKGROUND
Previous Planning Efforts
In 1997, the City of Torrington embarked upon a strategic evaluation of its Downtown, spurred on by increasing concerns over the economic vitality of existing businesses, the lack of linkage to major destinations (the Warner Theatre and the Nutmeg Ballet) and the desire to unify the City's physical assets into an aesthetically pleasing, pedestrian friendly environment. The recommendations of the Torrington Downtown Strategic Initiative, completed in 1998, primarily center on programmatic and organizational actions to address five major elements:
Cultural and Heritage Tourism
Urban Development
Parking and Circulation
Design Guidelines
Specific Areas of Focus
An analysis of market conditions in Torrington conducted as part of the Initiative identified a number of retail niches that could complement Torrington's downtown. It was generally determined that there lies a potential demand for an increase in tourism-oriented and regional retail, particularly apparel stores. This demand is conditioned upon achieving a critical mass of overall development that can sustain a regional draw. This market niche is separate from the so-called "big-box" retail prevalent along the City's major thoroughfares. The data available during the analysis suggested that Torrington was at the time saturated with respect to this category of retail development. In fact, the zoning that encourages this type of spatial pattern serves as one of the primary reasons for downtown's economic struggles.
In addition to new retail opportunities, the Initiative recommends a number of strategies to assist existing businesses. These include joint advertising and promotion, examining hours of operation, improving communication between merchants and the City, and launching special events. The Initiative also suggests a potential demand for housing in the downtown, namely in the “empty-nester” and young adult markets.
The recommendations set forth in the Initiative are consistent with the City's current Plan of Conservation and Development prepared in 1989, but recently updated in January 2002. This document is intended to provide guidance on general land use decisions in the City. The Plan makes mention of the fact that even back in 1986, residents believed that the downtown could use more parking and a better selection of shops. The Plan also recognized that development along major thoroughfares into the City and its center would constitute more retail space than currently exists in the traditional downtown area. Thus, the Plan's primary goal was to maintain the viability of the downtown area as a business and customer destination. To accomplish this goal, the Plan stipulated a number of objectives and policies:
Increase available parking
Increase accessibility via public transportation
Maintain architectural integrity
Preserve historic buildings
Since the City's adoption of the Initiative, it has sought ways for jumpstarting implementation. Although there were potential funding mechanisms for some public improvements, such as streetscapes, it was apparent that a comprehensive revitalization of downtown would need private developer involvement and investment.
Developer Interest
After visiting Torrington on a number of occasions, Jed Hayes of Sullivan and Hayes, a development company from Farmington, Connecticut, began to inquire as to the development opportunities in Torrington. After meeting with the Mayor and other City representatives, Mr. Hayes and his associates became actively involved in researching and developing an approach to attracting new investment and economic development opportunities to the downtown. Subsequently an Agreement For Private Development between the City's Economic Development Commission and Downtown Torrington Redevelopment LLC (the Developer) was approved and executed in November 2000. The Agreement addressed the obligations and responsibilities of both the public and private sectors in planning and implementing a multifaceted development program for the
downtown.
By early 2001, the Developer had prepared and proposed a large-scale physical development plan for consideration. The underlying purpose for introducing the Developer's Plan was to test the market for potential commitments from prospective retailers, and to explore the possibility of State funding to assist with development costs. The concept report summarizes a preliminary investigation of the feasibility associated with developing three specific areas of the downtown.
The proposed Developer's Plan addresses such issues as retail streetscape, historic resources, arts and entertainment, open space, mixed use and housing. The suggested development sites include a mix of new construction and renovation. Pedestrian and traffic circulation is discussed with streetscape, roadway and parking improvements. The report also includes information on zoning, utilities, environmental and geotechnical conditions, as well as preliminary cost estimates for public and private investment.
The City and the Developer made a number of public presentations to showcase components of the report and to answer questions relating to the proposal. A market study was then commissioned by the Developer to examine market capacity for this initial concept.
During the Spring of 2001, after the submission of supporting documentation to the State, the CT General Assembly passed a Special Act that included the appropriation of thirty million dollars ($30,000,000) to the Developer to fund a portion of the proposed development activities. The CT Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), which will administer the State funds, requested that the City launch a public process to establish a vision of downtown that would guide the Developer's focus.
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