Waterbury officials are asking the city’s Board of Aldermen to sign off Monday on a contract paying Plainville-based Manafort Brothers up to $3.6 million to demolish a former brass factory in the heart of the city.
Waterbury paid $2.3 million for the 138,304-square-foot building on 6 acres at 170 Freight St. in December, planning to demolish it, clean the soil and market it for redevelopment.
The city had already acquired a neighboring 14-acre plot and demolished various industrial buildings on the site. Together, the properties at 130 Freight St., 000 West Main St. and 170 Freight St. had previously hosted an industrial complex for brassworking giant Anaconda American Brass.
Later, a portion of the site was used by an industrial waste processing outfit that ran into economic and environmental compliance problems. The building at 170 Freight St. was rented to several commercial, industrial and retail tenants before its sale.
Combined, the properties will offer a flat, 20-acre development site on one corner of the downtown, right at the nexus of Route 8 and Interstate 84, a short distance from a passenger rail. Mayor Neil O’Leary has made redevelopment of that site – seen as key to revitalizing the larger Freight Street corridor – a major priority.
Manafort was the lowest of three bidders for the demolition work at 170 Freight St. Stamford Wrecking and Bestech also applied.
The company will have 154 days to complete the project and will be paid using a portion of the city’s federal American Rescue Plan Act grant funding.
“I’m very pleased with the Manafort bid,” Mayor Neil M. O’Leary said. “They have done great work for us on many other projects. This is an exciting time. The interest on this piece has been amazing.”
