A roughly 642-acre property in the state’s northeast corner will become Connecticut’s newest wildlife management area, following its $4.14 million sale to the state by developer Mark Greenberg.
In a deal that closed in late April, a limited liability company controlled by Greenberg – an active developer based in Litchfield – sold wooded property at 520 Bailey Hill Road in Killingly to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
“I thought it was good to sell it to the state because now it will be preserved forever,” Greenberg said.
The Killingly Town Clerk’s office confirmed the sale Monday.
Greenberg, also reached Monday, said he purchased the 647-acre property for $3.2 million 36 years ago. At the time, he was living in New York and did not have any holdings in Connecticut.
“It was a gorgeous piece of property,” Greenberg said. “It has two or three private lakes on it.”
Greenberg said he kept a 4.5-acre slice of the property that is currently occupied by a cellular communications tower.
DEEP spokesman Will Healey said the property will join the state’s inventory of “wildlife management areas.” The state currently maintains 109 wildlife management areas, which are seen as having unique or outstanding wildlife qualities and are managed primarily for conservation and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat. These can be open for wildlife viewing, fishing, trapping and hunting.
“This site includes Albert, Mitchell, Belle, and Windham Lakes and is a huge conservation win — protecting wildlife and their habitats as part of Connecticut’s amazing and diverse natural heritage,” reads a portion of a statement released by Healey.
A 150-acre portion of the Killingly property had been approved for a 31-lot subdivision. Greenberg said the property, which is cut through with gravel roads from a prior development attempt, did not support enough building lots to justify the expense of running finished roads and utilities into the site.
Greenberg said the property had been on the market for 15 years, at one point listing for $5.9 million. The price the state paid was based on an independent appraisal of the property, he said.
