Site work begins for new store

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Workers move dirt at the site of a new Tractor Supply Company store at 1160 New Haven Road in Naugatuck on Friday. –Laraine Weschler/Republican-American

NAUGATUCK — Truck after truck carried mounds of dirt Friday out of a lot on New Haven Road.

Site work has begun on a 19,097-square-foot Tractor Supply Company store at 1160 New Haven Road. Eventually, 28,400-square-feet of earth will be removed from the steeply inclined 4.2 acre parcel.

The company, which sells farm, home and garden supplies, feed and apparel, hopes to open for business this spring, according to minutes from the Zoning Commission. The developer has a deadline of 160 days from the first shovel in the ground to completion.

“I think it’s going to be a great addition to New Haven Road,” Town Planner Susan Goggin said. “I’ve had people comment that they can’t wait.”

Situated in the New Haven Road Development District, she said the project fits in with the zone’s intention of encouraging development along one of the borough main thoroughfares.

The Zoning Commission approved the project in August and site work started about three weeks ago.

In addition to the large, single-story rectangular building situated toward the back of the property, the site plan includes a 15,016-square-foot fenced-in space for outdoor sales, a 3,000-square-foot permanent trailer display area, and 3,520-square-feet of sidewalk displays near the front entrance. A 12-foot-tall retaining wall will run along the building on the Candee Road side.

The plan includes 82 parking spaces along New Haven Road. The entrance will be on Candee Road.

This home is slated for demolition to make way for a new Tractor Supply Company store at 1160 New Haven Road in Naugatuck. –Laraine Weschler/Republican-American

The plans calls for the demolition of two residential homes; a 2,781-square-foot brick Cape Cod built in 1962 and a 1,048-square-foot vinyl-sided Cape Cod built in 1939. The developer bought a 0.5-acre portion in the back of the neighboring lot at 1152 New Haven Road to reduce the amount of earth materials that needed to be removed from the site.

“I am absolutely thrilled that they’re coming here. It just continues the advancement of that area of town,” President and CEO of the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation Ronald Pugliese.

Despite the natural challenges in the site’s terrain, Pugliese said the mild winter weather has helped get the project under way.

“I think they’re going to continue right through, and they’ll get it done in time,” Pugliese said.

Across town work is moving ahead on the redevelopment of the former Prospect Street School.

The borough sold the former school at 100 School St. to the Southington-based Format LLC for $300,000. The company paid $100,000 at the closing and will pay $50,000 a year for the next four years, according to the agreement with the borough.

The former school will be the home of a new gym, offices, and residential apartments, according to the company’s plans.

Goggin said work has started to regrade and expand the parking lot.

Luke Marshall contributed to this article.