Canal Street article in Shelton Herald 2025Oct15

 The article from Oct15 regarding Canal Street potentials demands some expansion of topic.  The article is quoted from green/start to red/stop, and then my comments inserted.

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SHELTON — Focus is turning to the latest Canal Street redevelopment project. 

Shelton Economic Development Corp. President Sheila O’Malley said the city is hoping to be awarded roughly $4 million in state grant money to remediate 235 Canal St., former home to Apex Tool & Cutter Co.

 
“We are pretty confident we will secure this funding,” said O’Malley. “Getting this money will help to move this project along more quickly.”

 
The money will be used to remediate the property, which is owned by the Watts estate but under contract to developer John Guedes of Primrose Companies.

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Shiela O'Malley is the recently hired President of the Shelton Economic Development Corporation.  This is an entity, which although separate from the City of Shelton, works in partnership with the City's needs for economic development, primarily within the downtown area where numerous properties had industrial era activities which now need remediation to put them back on the tax rolls in a productive manner.  These activities involve grants being applied for and administered during projects, involving the Federal and State government, along with local fundings.

I am a director on the SEDC, buy my comments here are my own and not a representation of the Corporation's.

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While no plans have yet been filed for the site, O’Malley said Guedes is preparing plans for a 100-unit apartment complex with a two-level parking garage dubbed The Riverbank. O’Malley said this project will require some $25 million in private investment. 

“Mayor (Mark) Lauretti deserves a lot of credit for recognizing the city needs to step in and help with properties like this one that would be difficult to develop otherwise,” O’Malley said. 

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There are no plans which have been filed for development of the site.  The developer does not own the site, but rather has an option to buy it.  The developer is not even quoted in the article on their concepts for this site.  The City has not obtained a grant for this, but hopes to obtain one to remediate the site of contamination.  What of concrete evidence is occurring now, and is not a "wish and a dream"?

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This is Guedes’ latest development along Canal Street. He said the combined total of units built, units under construction and the soon-to-be filed new building brings his total to 697.  
Guedes’ projects are The Birmingham, 145 Canal St. (113 units); Avalon, 185 Canal St. (250); River Breeze, 223 Canal St. (68); Canal Bridge Lofts, 6 River Side (48); Riverside Center, 7 River Side (6);  Park Royal, 135 Canal St. (92); Chromium Commons, 113 Canal St. West (30); and Apex Tool site, 235 Canal St. (100). 

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With the label "combined total of units built, units under construction and the sone-to-be filed new building" is broad, for the record, with the above mentioned projects and unit counts, those approved: 113+250+68+48+6+92+30= 607  Adding in the concept of a further 100 at #235 Canal Street = 707.  Subtracting those yet to be completed from the approval list.  (Park Royal #135 Canal St (92) and Chromium Commons #113 Canal St W (30) = 485 completed units built.

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“We've spent 30 years getting to this point,” Lauretti said. “We have taken an area of the city that was void of any tax income and created a windfall. At some point, people need to acknowledge and credit success.” 

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Without question, the success of turning around Canal Street has been due in large part to Mayor Lauretti's focus upon that effort.  It has also involved grants from the State of CT, the Federal Government, and City funds.  There have been numerous agencies and volunteers, plus the Shelton Economic Development Corporation's efforts, who have brought this to fruition, and that does most definitely include the Mayor.  It has been acknowledged and credited numerous times with numerous awards and accolades, both at the State and Federal levels.

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Adding the units built by others since Guedes created and initiated the Canal Street redevelopment plan, new units now exceed 1,000. 

In value, Guedes said the units average out at $250,000 per unit. That relates to $250,000,000 in value. 
“Aside from the transformation of the downtown, this has also added to the city’s tax revenues,” Guedes said. 

At present, Guedes has two projects underway across the street from each other along Canal Street: Riverview Park Royal, a five-story structure that would house 92 apartments and 11,000 square feet of retail at 113 to 123 Canal St., and Chromium Commons, a four-story structure with first-floor commercial space and 30 apartments on the top floors, at 113 Canal St., former site of the Chromium Process manufacturing building. 

These two projects presently under construction are close to $40 million.

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The averages are one way to value the increase in Grand List.  However, there are not 1000 units created by Primrose Development.  There are not 1000 units created by Primrose Development and others.  There are not 1000 units created, developed, and proposed on the Canal Street.  If there were, at the current mill rate of 18.82, that would amount to $4.7 million in tax revenue every year.  If this increase in the tax rolls is the case, along with other growth in Shelton, why did the Grand List go down last year? (According to city officials, Shelton's grand list dropped from $6,126,347,313 in 2023 to $6,093,298,544 this past year, a 0.54% slide - CT Post 2025Feb5) 

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If the city obtains the $4 million in state funds, this would be the latest grant for the Canal Street area.  
Two years ago, the city received $1.1 million to be used for reconstruction of Canal and Wooster streets; the engineering, design and construction costs for reopening the Wooster Street railroad crossing; and design and construction of the final phase of the Housatonic Riverwalk, from 235 Canal St. to the Shelton Canal Locks.

  
The work on Canal Street includes reconstruction of the roadway — including new sidewalks, ramps, lighting and brick pavers — from 235 Canal St. North along the road to the Shelton canal locks. 
Wooster Street reconstruction would include the same improvements from Canal Street to Howe Avenue.

  
The city is also setting aside funds for engineering, design and construction of the Wooster Street railroad crossing, which has been closed for the past several years. All work on the reopening of the crossing would be done by the railroad company and paid for by the city.

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The City obtained a $1.1million grant from the State for reconstruction of the Wooster Street crossing with the railroad.  Nothing visible has occurred.  No engineering proposals have been presented.  The Fire Chief was quoted in an article (2020Jun29 CtPost article) titled "Wooster railroad crossing closure creates a dangerous situation". 

The railroad crossing has been closed for FAR MORE than a "past several years".  As a separate project from any work near the Shelton Canal Locks, and as noted in the above linked article from 2020, the City and railroad have been "bickering" about the crossing re-opening since 2009, and in a later link from the State Dept of Transportation, the "temporary closure" was agreed to on 2008Dec8.

This article from Shelton Herald 2013Sep5 notes that the Fire Department is seeking better access to Canal Street.  "In a letter to the Board of Aldermen’s Public Health and Safety Committee, Shelton Fire Chief Fran Jones wrote that “a secondary means of egress is extremely important for emergency accessibility to the Avalon development as it continues to become inhabited, and to gain access to other buildings along Canal Street during ongoing road improvements and construction.”

DUE TO THE CLOSING OF THE WOOSTER STREET CROSSING OF THE RAILROAD, CANAL STREET HAS BEEN MADE A DEAD-END ROAD WITH ONLY ONE WAY OUT.  THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PART OF CANAL STREET REQUIRES GREATER EGRESS FOR SAFETY.  THE CITY HAS BEEN GIVEN GRANTS TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.  THE DEFFICIENCY HAS EXISTED FOR OVER A DECADE.  FURTHER DELAYS SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED.

The closure of the rail road crossing was petitioned for by Mayor Lauretti on 2008Jun23.  If you want to learn more regarding the rail crossing, the Docket# 0811-143-RR at the Dept of Transportation can be seen via this link.

The crossing was closed for efficient construction of a proposed project on Canal St.  To go from 2008Jun23 to 2025Oct17, a span of more than 17yrs, is far more than "temporary".  Safety is at stake.  This must move forward.