Waterbury shopping center lands national tenant, nears full occupancy

A Ross Dress for Less store is coming to Waterbury’s busy Wolcott Street commercial corridor next spring, filling one of the largest spaces in a shopping center that has recently attracted several new tenants. Ross recently signed a 10-year lease for the 28,500-square-foot space occupied by USA Furniture & Mattress at the Waterbury Shopping Center, according to Lorraine Tartaglia, of Tartaglia Commercial Properties, which owns the buildings. The center spans two properties at 835 and 881 Wolcott St. The lease includes options that could extend Ross’ stay another 20 years. USA Furniture will move into a neighboring 25,000-square-foot space that previously housed a Modell’s Sporting Goods store. Both spaces will undergo renovations, including remodeled facades. Tartaglia said she expects Ross to open in the spring. The reshuffling will bring the shopping center to full occupancy, Tartaglia said, following last year’s arrival of a PriceRite grocery store. “We are super excited because this is the icing on the cake,” Tartaglia said. “PriceRite totally transformed the center. Now, we are getting another national tenant with a huge customer base.” Ross Dress for Less is the nation’s largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain, according to parent company Ross Stores Inc. The Dublin, California-based retailer reported $22.8 billion in revenue in fiscal 2025. Ross says its stores sell in-season brand-name and designer apparel, accessories, footwear and home fashions at prices generally 20% to 60% below regular department and specialty store prices. The company currently lists 1,917 Ross Dress for Less locations in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. It also operates 365 dd’s DISCOUNTS stores in 23 states. William Cafero, of Charter Realty, recruited Ross to the Waterbury plaza. The shopping center property at 881 Wolcott St. includes a freestanding McDonald’s restaurant and a 124,890-square-foot retail building completed in 1982. Its tenants include Porter & Chester Institute, PriceRite and USA Furniture, with Ross soon to join the lineup. The buildings sit on 12.1 acres leased from Pecka-Williams LLC. The adjoining 3.3-acre parcel at 835 Wolcott St. includes a freestanding TD Bank and a 45,886-square-foot multitenant retail building, also completed in 1982. Tartaglia said she is investing heavily in upgrades to accommodate USA Furniture’s relocation and Ross’ arrival. The work will include interior renovations, a new roof, heating and cooling system improvements and facade upgrades. The center’s parking area was recently repaved and restriped. Tartaglia sees the investment as part of a broader resurgence along Wolcott Street, one of Waterbury’s primary retail corridors. The strip lost some of its draw after the nearby Brass Mill Center mall opened in the late 1990s, but has attracted a series of new businesses and investments in recent years. Waterbury Economic Development Director Joseph McGrath said the corridor has benefited from both public improvements and private investment. A neighboring shopping center has attracted Stop & Shop and TJ Maxx in recent years, while a Caliber Collision repair center and Chase Bank branch have been built at previously vacant commercial sites along the corridor. “With the improvements on Wolcott Street, it’s become a more attractive place for businesses and retail to go,” McGrath said. “We are thrilled by the arrival of Ross. It’s another boost for economic development in the city.”