Company wants to demo building in January
NAUGATUCK — The construction company that has been hired to tear down a dilapidated former restaurant downtown wants to start demolition at the beginning of the new year.
Weise Construction, Inc., of Norwich, has filed an application with the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency to demolish the three-story white building at 1 South Main St., at the corner of Maple Street near the Whittemore Bridge. The building has sat vacant for more than five years after serving as a restaurant for more than a decade.
The company plans to begin demolition with two excavators as soon as it receives permission from the agency, which will likely be in January.
The demolition will start at the top floor and will end at the ground level, according to documents on file at the land use office. If all goes as planned, Weise Construction anticipates having demolition wrapped up in February, said Wayne Zirolli, borough engineer.
The borough is paying the company $42,900 to tear down the blighted building that officials have complained about for years.
The building is owned by One South Main Street, LLC, whose managing member is Shellie Hertel of Rich’s Car Works. Rich and Shellie Hertel bought the vacant building within the past two years with Charlie Wasoka, owner of American Vintage Furniture. They wanted land for parking spaces, and hoped to work out a deal to have it torn down.
The borough was willing to work with them because they say the building makes the community look bad.
A proposed demolition plan on file at the land use office states it will take two days to tear the building to the ground. Before demolition begins, the company will establish a traffic control pattern and hire two police officers to help control traffic.
In October, the Board of Mayor and Burgesses agreed to settle a tax appeal filed by the owners of One South Main Street, LLC. The agreement drops the valuation of the property, therefore lowering property taxes.
In exchange, the LLC allows Naugatuck to tear down the building, gives the borough land for a greenway expansion and additional land for the borough to build a small park with benches to enhance the main entrance to downtown off Route 8.
The building is the first structure motorists see coming off Route 8 south at Exit 27.
Borough officials have long complained about two dilapidated buildings downtown — the one at One South Main Street and Building 25, the former hub of the U.S. Rubber Co. Officials tore that building down last month.
Ron Pugliese, president and chief executive officer of the quasi-public Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation, says that tearing down those buildings makes downtown Naugatuck more attractive for potential commercial investors.
