Grant proposal OK'd for Sherwood Tool clean-up

The town is moving forwards with an application for a state grant for money for more than a half-million dollars to help clean up the site of the old Sherwood Tool property.

The $550,000 for the clean-up would come from a new environmental remediation program, the Brownfields Municipal Pilot. The funds are available to municipalities to "Fund projects that are complicated by brownfields but will on completion make significant economic impact," according to the Connecticut Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development.

The Corporation for Independent Living Inc. has an agreement to purchase the former mill property. This includes parcels at 1 Main Street and 10 Main Street. There are about seven acres, all together. The plan is to convert the former mill building into 72 market rate residential condo units and to demolish the one story manufacturing buildings at 1 Main Street and build 14 new market rate condo units along the street facing Paper Goods Pond, according to Jim Mahoney, economic development director.

Mahoney's report stated that "A significant remaining challenge for the porject is to fund the cost of needed environmental remediation of the site."

Fuss & O'Neill, Inc. submitted an application package for the redevelopment on behalf of CIL Development of Kensington Inc. and prospective owner Sherwood Properties Limited Partnership, of Wethersfield.

At its June 12 meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission continued its public hearing on the Sherwood Mill proposal. The public hearing will continue on June 26.

Approval to submit the grant proposal was given by the Town Council at its June 17 meeting and Town Manager Roger Kemp will prepare the documents for the state.