The Simon Konover Co. proposes to close out a special Canton development zone with construction of a mixed-use building along its commercial Route 44/Albany Turnpike corridor.
Get Instant Access to This Article
Subscribe to Hartford Business Journal and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.
- Critical Hartford and Connecticut business news updated daily.
- Immediate access to all subscriber-only content on our website.
- Bi-weekly print or digital editions of our award-winning publication.
- Special bonus issues like the Hartford Book of Lists.
- Exclusive ticket prize draws for our in-person events.
Click here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article.
The Simon Konover Co. proposes to close out a special Canton development zone with construction of a mixed-use building along its commercial Route 44/Albany Turnpike corridor.
West Hartford-based SKC recently won final site-plan approval from the town's planning and zoning commission to erect a 24,882-square-foot office-retail building on 4 acres at 115 Albany Turnpike, said Greg Konover, who is representing his family enterprise's development interests in the project.
With approval in hand, SKC is tackling the thorny chore of trying to pre-lease an unspecified portion of the building. If that happens, construction could commence in early 2016, with occupancy set for later that year, Konover said.
The project's development pricetag rings in at around $5 million, he said.
Hartford's Amenta Emma Architects designed the structure to accommodate either medical or professional office tenants, or retail occupants. BL Companies in Meriden is the civil engineer.
A general contractor has not been assigned to build it, Konover said.
Next door, UConn Health Center opened its own medical building fronting Albany Turnpike; a three-year-old CVS retail drug store also fronts the turnpike.
All are within a 7.5-acre parcel that SKC, working closely with the town, created and tagged as the Albany Turnpike Development Zone, Konover said. The 4-acre Albany Turnpike parcel is the zone's last undeveloped slice.
The zone sprang from the contentious ashes of SKC's previous proposal 15 years earlier to erect a Target store fronting the turnpike. However, that plan withered in the face of vocal opposition from town officials and residents.
“We've worked pretty hard with the town on this last one,'' said Konover, the third generation of his family active in real estate development.
“We've been trying to put together something in keeping with the zone and with the town's desire for a development that is smaller in scale than when we started.''
Webster’s remade trio
Waterbury regional lender Webster Bank says remodeling work will wrap by August's end on three of its existing branches statewide, including its Bishops Corner location in West Hartford.
Bridgeport architect Antinozzi Associates designed the interior/exterior upgrades for all three branches.
Paniccia Construction is contractor for work underway at the 1,500-square-foot Branford location, 1 S. Main St.; and the 2,700-square-foot Stamford branch, 1959 Summer St., which will have a sit-down teller line.
PAC Group LLC is contractor for the 2,300-square-foot Bishops Corner office, 774 N. Main St.
Each branch employs between four to five workers, Webster said.
Meantime, Webster says it's on track to close three other branches on Sept. 25: 1160 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield; on Federal Road in Brookfield; and on Centre Street, in Brockton, Mass.Â
Deal Watch wants to hear from you. E-mail it, along with contact information to: gseay@HartfordBusiness.com.
Gregory Seay is the Hartford Business Journal News Editor.