Atlantic Wire Transformation To ​“Atlantic Wharf” Gets a Qualified ​“Wow”

Developer Robert H. Smith Jr. hopes to turn the dilapidated former Atlantic Wire property into a 7.5-acre village complex along the Branford River in the heart of town. “It will become a destination—a place to live, work and play,” he said.

Smith, the CEO and founder of the Milford-based Metro Star Properties LLC, outlined his plans for “Atlantic Wharf” during an informal presentation Thursday night at a meeting of the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission. He was attempting to assess the commission’s impression of the project before making a formal application.

The proposal calls for tearing down the sprawling and polluted industrial buildings at the corner of Meadow and Montowese streets. Here is a view from Meadow Street in a photo taken last week.

The preliminary plans include 205 apartment units, two restaurants, two cafes or a deli, and offices or boutiques. Click here to read our earlier story.

Smith said he is under contract to purchase the property, contingent on getting approval to build the project.

Smith said the high-end rental apartments will be marketed to a mixed-age clientele who enjoy a downtown location with river views and easy access to the train station. ​“Young people and old people alike enjoy living in this kind of environment,” he said.

The plans also call for realigning the tortuous intersection of Meadow, Montowese and Pine Orchard Road, which has been a goal of town officials for several years. The property would also have a connection to the Shoreline Greenway Trail.

State Rep. Lonnie Reed, D‑Branford, attended the presentation and spoke with the Eagle after the meeting. ​“It’s really exciting to see that talented people are looking to rejuvenate that area and capture what Branford has been, and also move us forward,” she said.

A Village Within a Village

“At the heart of this project is a new neighborhood,” said Sam Gardner of Gregg, Wies and Gardner Architects in New Haven. ​“It is an extension of the Town Center Village District.”

Gardner said the architects are hoping to capture the essence of the existing neighborhood. ​“Montowese has a scale and a character we wanted to extend to this property,” he said. Richard Wies, a partner in the firm, is a Branford resident.

If a formal application is made, the developers would request that the industrial-zoned property become a Planned Development District featuring mixed usage with residential, retail and commercial components. Although the Atlantic Wire site is zoned Industrial, much of the surrounding area is zoned Restricted Business or Residential.

Developers said they have been in discussions with town officials for several months, before Town Planner Shirley Rasmussen retired last summer.

Gardner said the buildings would be three stories high, and that each office or retail space would be no larger than about 3,000 square-feet. There would be a courtyard in the center that would be a private area for residents of the complex.

“The feel here is New England coastline,” Gardner said, adding that the architectural style would be ​“classic Connecticut.”

“It’s envisioned as a walkable community from downtown,” said David S. Golebiewski, president of TPA Design Group in New Haven. The Atlantic Wire site is about three blocks from the Town Green, and is near the Shoreline East Train Station.

“One thing we love about the site is the orientation to the river,” Golebiewski said. ​“There will be terrific views.”

Golebiewski said the proposed walking trail along the perimeter of the site will connect to future expansions of the Shoreline Greenway Trail. The Shoreline Greenway project will eventually stretch 25 miles from Lighthouse Point in New Haven to Hammonasset State Park in Madison. Portions of the hiking and biking trail are already finished.

The Wow Factor

“My initial comment is ‘Wow,’ said Ellsworth McGuigan (pictured), chair of the P&Z Commission. “It’s a very ambitious project.” He said this is the largest project he’s seen in his 25-plus years with the P&Z.

He said he has some reservations, especially about the density of the project.

The commission members asked several questions and offered comments on the designs.

Commissioner Joseph Vaiuso said the nearby Anchor Reef residential complex was initially slated to have a hotel and conference center and a large office building, but they never materialized.

“This project is much different than a for-sale (housing) project,” Smith said, adding that it would not be dependent on selling units to finance future construction. Smith (pictured front left) talked about his 30 years of experience as a developer, and his specialty in downtown locations. He mentioned projects his company has completed in Milford, like Schooner Wharf and Metro Point.

According to Smith’s Metro Star website, the company’s mission is to “develop currently unusable or outdated New England downtown real estate into ‘upcycled,’ architecturally vibrant urban spaces.”

Smith said the Atlantic Wire site needs additional remediation. “There is significant environmental clean-up there,” he said. “We’re dealing with a lot of issues.”

First Impressions

“Do you think that we should continue?” Smith asked the commission after the presentation.

McGuigan said his “wow” comment should give them an indication of his initial reaction, but said it was not a stamp of approval. It was the first time he had seen the plans. “I’m not totally convinced it’s a workable thing. It’s the density,” he said. McGuigan talked about the problems Branford has had since it became known as the “Condo Capital of Connecticut” due to the numerous condo projects decades ago. He said the commission now tries to limit density.

Commissioner Vaiuso said the public walking area is good, and “the alignment of that intersection is a big plus.”

Smith told the Eagle that he was pleased with the reaction to the project. He said if they decide to move forward it would be at least four months until they submit a formal application because of the amount of paperwork involved.

“I think we developed a feel of what the commission would be looking for,” Smith said. “We love Branford.”

Although the public didn’t have an opportunity to speak during the meeting, some people stayed to talk with the developers. If the project proceeds, a public hearing will be scheduled.

Businesswoman Jacey Wyatt, who attended the meeting, said she would prefer taller buildings, at least six stories. And she would like an inn or hotel to be included in the plans. 

Atlantic Wire’s Past

The wire mill, which began operations in 1906, declared bankruptcy in 2008 after being charged with federal crimes and state violations for polluting the Branford River.

At that time, former Attorney General Richard Blumenthal called Atlantic Wire one of the worst polluters in the state.

In December, 2008, Atlantic Wire pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to the criminal charges—violating the federal Clean Water Act and submitting false statements regarding its pollution measures.  Company owners conducted an extensive clean-up of the site as part of a deal they made with the state.

Kevin O’Neill, president of Cherry Hill Glass Co. on Elm Street, purchased the property in 2010, along with his corporate partners, Jeffrey A. James and Theodore J. Cwiertniewicz through their One Church Street LLC Corporation. Their purchase price was about $850,000. The property was initially put on the market for $2.8 million.

In June 2011, O’Neill received approval from P&Z to use 40,000 square feet of the rambling 158,000 square-foot building for production and storage of windows and skylights from his Cherry Hill Glass Co.  Although he had been looking at ways to develop the property, O‘Neill said he is not part of Smith’s proposed development project.  He is, however, integral to the sale.

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