Plans Revealed for Keeler Stove Shop Property

A spontaneous neighborhood meeting formed Monday night with property owners and engineers following a Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing on the proposed development of the historic Keeler Stove Shop property at 168 So. Main St.

With site plans and architectural drawings of the proposed 2.4-acre property spread out on a table in the lobby of the Town Council Chambers, neighbors from the nearby Old Towne Condominiums asked engineers about the proximity of the proposed buildings to their homes.

Matthew Ducsay, a planning engineer from the firm of  Milone & MacBroom of Cheshire looked over property maps with residents of the condos to show them where the proposed development would  be constructed. The six proposed townhouses are the closest to the existing condos of three structures planned for the site.

During the preceding public hearing, only two members of the public spoke about the project. "It sounds like a positive project. We are concerned about drainage and surface water," said the condo association's attorney Ronald Barba of Hamden.

"Traffic is a major concern, not just vehicles, but pedestrians," said Barba. 

Traffic engineer David Sullivan of Milone & MacBroom said vehicle traffic to the proposed retail, office and residential development is expected to add about 160 daily trips to the area. State transportation records for Route 10 and Old Towne road show about 22,000 cars pass the intersection daily.

The proposed townhouses would contain  a total of about 5,800-square-feet. Two new office and retail buildings would cover 2,750 square-feet and 3,000-square-feet respectively. The property fronts South Main Street and connects with Old Towne Road at the rear of the site.

Attorney Anthony Fazzone told the planning commission that developer Paul Bowman plans to replicate the Keeler Stove Shop building which was demolished in April, and tie the new building into the existing historic Keeler home next door.

"It will still look like two structures. (The shop) will be a traditional gabled building. It will have a pedimented arched entry,"  said architect Brian Humes of Berlin.

The 3,600-square-foot Keeler home, built in 1860, would be renovated to include a coffee shop, offices and two apartments, according to project documents. 

"At the stove shop, we got photo documentation and measured drawings. We will utilize the drawing to replicate" the historical nature, Humes added. 

Work to renovate the historic George Keeler home will begin almost immediately, Fazzone said.

The planning commission public hearing was continued until July 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall. The project will be reviewed by the Cheshire Historic Commission on July 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall.