Update on the Newington Fair

[AmesNewington]

I keep track of happenings in Newington and came across a list of approved projects by the Town Planner as far as retail. This is an impressive list, and most if not all projects are going forward full steam ahead. There's a lot more going on, but I pulled out some notable projects.

NEW PROJECTS:

*A 100 room Holiday Inn Express at 2557 Berlin Turnpike
*Shoppes at East Cedar Street: mixed use/hotel/restaurant/bank/retail (corner of E Cedar St and Russel Road off turnpike).
*Sam's Club (Next to Stew Leonards) in addition, a gas station and additional retail building
*Aldi Store (2640 Berlin Turnpike); near Shaw's.
*Gateway of Newington (corner of Cedar St and Fenn Rd off Rte 9 near Stop and Shop): hotel/Starbuck's, retail use.

Also, Lowrey Place, former home of A&P Super Foodmart will get a new facade and parking lot along with a new freestanding People's Bank in front of the plaza. This is really the only plaza left in town that has potential, but has no tenants to fill it. I'm curious as to what will move in to Food Mart.

[XISMZERO]

Newington has faced serious development in past years -- like none I've seen. Just look at what the Pike looked like just ten years ago compared to today! I think the turning points for the town of recent time was the demolition of the Hartford Drive-In and getting rid of the seven-year empty Caldor and finally making something of that lot.

Between all the business that has been revitalized on the Pike from Roy Rogers into Arby's, to McDonald's getting a brand new building, a bank on the site of Krispy Kreme and even the former Lechmere plaza picking up more tenants, Newington seems to be a powerhouse success model for central Connecticut.

[Marc82]

Wow. And I thought Southington was getting busy. We're getting Target/Lowes and a few restaurants on West Street (Route 229). And there was just  a thing in the paper the other day that Hilton will be building a hotel on West Street as well. All I'm saying it's about damn time we got another decent hotel in Southington besides those rundown dumps on Queen Street. HOJO EXPRESS and TRAVELER'S Inn) We recently got a new Comfort Inn & Sweets just off of 322 in the Mildale Section of town. And they may be building a new shopping center on 322 just over the Southington town line in Cheshire. Furthermore a major retail/residential development may be happening in downtown Southington as well.

Now if only we can get something decent to open up in the former Shaw's on Queen Street in Southington. Rumors are flying once again that Shoprite is looking at this spot, but so far nothing concrete. They would have to sublease the building from Shaw's as they signed a new long-term lease right before they closed in October 2006.

[AmesNewington]

I still don't know why Southington can't support more than three supermarkets, one an local IGA store. People need more choices in town. Price Chopper and Stop and Shop are the only BIG chains. It amazes me because Newington has almost every big grocery chain (and had A&P), even Stew Leonards, and they are all packed (even Shaw's). Actually, as I said before, it seems at times Shaw's has more cars in the lot than Price Chopper. Stew Leonards of course is a goldmine for business and Stop and Shop doesn't even have to advertise. They have been packed since they opened in 1992. Then we are getting Aldi and Sam's Club and it's quite possible another grocery chain will take over Food Mart in the center. That's about 6 or 7 supermarkets/food stores in town.

[TRU7536]

Newington is growing. Tim horton is planning on opening a new place next to wendys. Fed ex kinkos and tmobile opened up in jo ann plaza. Aldi will still have another 35000 ft of retail to sell. Also newington fair is getting sams club with a gas station and a 6000 foot building will be built and stickleys will become la fitness in 2009. The former atlanta bread will become a new att store.

[AmesNewington]

Is Hops really closing? They are on a list of vendors that will be at the Newington Business Showcase next week. This is their only remaining location in CT.

Weird about the AT&T store but not a bad idea.

[AmesNewington]

I swung by the Newington Fair/Stew Leonards plaza on my way home from the Berlin Foodmart, and the entire shopping center is REALLY coming along. I parked my car and took pictures and will try to post them.

Sam's Club is 75% complete and the parking area is complete. They even installed new lights with the red stripe on them, very similar to the old Caldor lot lights that were salvaged by Stew Leonards. They re-paved 50% of the lot, and they really fixed up the pond that I'm assuming was already there. LA Fitness is coming along. They gutted the front of the building and have the front frame up. It will look very nice.

In addition, there are new white signs throughout the plaza pointing out where all of the stores are. New traffic signs and STOP signs were installed as well. Finally, Stew Leonards painted their building the standard gray that all of their stores have. Overall the plaza is looking the best it has looked in its entire lifetime. If only the sports bar would move elsewhere on the Turnpike and have that building be demolished and the plaza would have a nice corner at the intersection of Rowley St and the Turnpike.

I will keep updating everyone on the progress of the plaza. I pass by the plaza at least twice weekly.

[TRU7536]

Originally posted by AmesNewington
I swung by the Newington Fair/Stew Leonards plaza on my way home from the Berlin Foodmart, and the entire shopping center is REALLY coming along. I parked my car and took pictures and will try to post them.

Sam's Club is 75% complete and the parking area is complete. They even installed new lights with the red stripe on them, very similar to the old Caldor lot lights that were salvaged by Stew Leonards. They re-paved 50% of the lot, and they really fixed up the pond that I'm assuming was already there. LA Fitness is coming along. They gutted the front of the building and have the front frame up. It will look very nice.

In addition, there are new white signs throughout the plaza pointing out where all of the stores are. New traffic signs and STOP signs were installed as well. Finally, Stew Leonards painted their building the standard gray that all of their stores have. Overall the plaza is looking the best it has looked in its entire lifetime. If only the sports bar would move elsewhere on the Turnpike and have that building be demolished and the plaza would have a nice corner at the intersection of Rowley St and the Turnpike.

I will keep updating everyone on the progress of the plaza. I pass by the plaza at least twice weekly.

If you look at the plaza today, it looks nothing it did 2 years ago! After 14 years, this plaza finally has the justice it deserves.  Sams club almost done, their doing there gas station now. They put some fence around the plaza. And i never realized how big the pond was until it was all open. I remember going their before the plaza opened! they had three ponds (TRU and Stews sits on the other two).

[XISMZERO]

As someone who really saw this plaza evolve from an active Caldor plaza to a soon half dead center brought about by the vacancies of a few once booming chains into the flourishing center it will soon become, I can safely say I've not seen a success story quite like this before.

If you just look at how far it's come recently, Stew's having repainted gray, Sleepy's taking over the left side, Sam's and LA Fitness coming in, this will undoubtedly be one of if not the hottest plazas on the Pike. What amazes me is that just a few Summers ago, I was here weekly in this skeletal, broken plaza tracking the dismantling of Caldor.

[AmesNewington]

Originally posted by XISMZERO
As someone who really saw this plaza evolve from an active Caldor plaza to a soon half dead center brought about by the vacancies of a few once booming chains into the flourishing center it will soon become, I can safely say I've not seen a success story quite like this before.

If you just look at how far it's come recently, Stew's having repainted gray, Sleepy's taking over the left side, Sam's and LA Fitness coming in, this will undoubtedly be one of if not the hottest plazas on the Pike. What amazes me is that just a few Summers ago, I was here weekly in this skeletal, broken plaza tracking the dismantling of Caldor.

Well, here's a story for The Caldor Rainbow! You should go down there one day Nick, and do a story on how far the plaza has come along. I'm amazed myself. Sleepy's was a complete surprise. I wish there was room for a Christmas Tree Shop. That would have fit well where LA Fitness is going. There's an additional building that is supposed to be built in the plaza near LA Fitness. Not a huge building, but a small strip center. This could happen in a few years. The Newington TPZ may have approved it already.  

Also, as far as Newington is concerned, there is a development going in at the Newington/Wethersfield exit atop Cedar Mountain. Link: http://www.loopnet.com/property/15759738/Russell-Road-Route-175-Berlin-Turnpike/

So Newington is surely developing rapidly. Great to see new life being breathed in to Newington.

[AmesNewington]

Updates:

Click the link below to see the plans for the Downtown Municipal Parking Lot between E. Cedar Street and Market Square. The first shovels will break ground approx. in late March/early April.

http://www.newingtonct.gov/controls/NewsFeed.aspx?FeedID=332

(Click the bottom four links on the news bulletin to see the extensive plans for the lot).

Currently, there are many storefronts on the Turnpike that are empty, but are in high traffic areas.

The former Green Tea China Bistro in Shaw's plaza will be Joey Garlic's Pizzaria (as stated in another thread by Marc82), which is supposed to really good. Office Depot is closing in the same plaza, and the Applebees restaurant has closed and Tweeter has closed. The former Citibank/Krispy Kreme building is still empty which is strange because it's on such a prime piece of land with plenty of traffic. My hope is for Olive Garden to go in to Applebees. I'm sure it would do well there, especially in front of Wal Mart. The one by Westfarms is always packed and there is always a wait.

Furthermore, the Shoppes at E. Cedar Street project seems to be back on the table with the TPZ this month with apparent modifications.

[momof3]

What are the shops on East Cedar, and where on E Cedar???Just curious

[XISMZERO]

Originally posted by AmesNewington
The former Citibank/Krispy Kreme building is still empty which is strange because it's on such a prime piece of land with plenty of traffic.

I find that odd too. I always thought this area would be perfect for a HESS Express (the "Express" hasn't been tried in Connecticut) or a Dairy Queen Grill & Chill. DQ already has a location as does HESS, so those wouldn't happen anytime soon. There must be something crippling about this land...

[TRU7536]

Originally posted by XISMZERO

Originally posted by AmesNewington
The former Citibank/Krispy Kreme building is still empty which is strange because it's on such a prime piece of land with plenty of traffic.

I find that odd too. I always thought this area would be perfect for a HESS Express (the "Express" hasn't been tried in Connecticut) or a Dairy Queen Grill & Chill. DQ already has a location as does HESS, so those wouldn't happen anytime soon. There must be something crippling about this land...

Its easy.. the people that live behind this property  don't want another food joint here. They hated the crouds and smell.