Aria by Villa Rosa coming to Prospect

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Joe Geloso Sr. stands on the site of the future home of the Aria by Villa Rosa last week. Work is currently underway on the project, which will bring a new 30,000-sqaure-foot banquet hall to the property at the intersection of Murphy Road and Waterbury Road in Prospect. LARAINE WESCHLER

PROSPECT — A new banquet hall is coming to town.

Joe Geloso Sr. and his son Joe Geloso Jr. are building a new 30,000-square-foot banquet hall on the property at the intersection of Murphy Road and Waterbury Road.

The Geloso family has been in the wedding business for over 25 years, Geloso Jr. said. The family currently operates the Villa Rosa, named after owner Joe Geloso Sr.’s wife, in Waterbury. The family is closing the Villa Rosa in Waterbury when the lease runs out at the end of the year, and moving the business to Prospect.

“We had 25 great years here in Waterbury and we’re thankful for everybody,” Geloso Jr. said. “We wish this place the best of luck in the future.”

Workers are currently preparing the site at the intersection of Murphy Road and Waterbury Road to start pouring the foundation by the end of this month. Workers will break ground on the project this month and the facility is expected to open in the spring of 2013. The new banquet hall will be named Aria by Villa Rosa

Once the lease runs out at their Waterbury location, the family will temporarily move to the Coco Key Resort in Cheshire until the Aria by Villa Rosa is open for business.

The planned banquet hall, situated at the top of a hill with expansive views of the Valley, will have two separate large function rooms, each with its own cocktail room, terrace, patio, and garden for outdoor wedding ceremonies.

An artistic rendition shows what the Aria by Villa Rosa will look like. CONTRIBUTED

“It’s different. It’s very grand,” Geloso Jr. said about the building, which he described as being very high-end.

The Geloso family has owned the Prospect land for over 10 years. They finally decided to develop it because they thought it was a great location with beautiful views and easy to get to, Geloso said.

“(My father) believes that once this project is done, it’s going to be a sight to see,” Geloso Jr. said. “It will be a destination facility.”

The Planning and Zoning Commission approved the facility in 2010. Land Use Inspector William Donovan said the new facility would improve Prospect’s Grand List.

“It looks like hopefully a very beautiful building and surrounding area,” Donovan said.

He said the facility works well with Prospect’s plan of development. The property is in the gateway corridor between Prospect and Waterbury.

“You get a very nice first impression or first vision of the town as you’re coming in from Waterbury,” Donovan said.

Geloso Jr. said he was ready to impress.

“We’re very excited to start our new adventure,” Geloso Jr. said.