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08/04/2020 02:55 PMDespite some delays, the Indian River Landing development to be built at the old Morgan School site is still on track to begin the demolition phase shortly, according to the developer.
In March, the Planning & Zoning Commission granted developer Greylock Property Group approval to turn the former Morgan School site into Indian River Landing. The project will include a mix of retail shops, a large grocery store, restaurants, and a hotel. The 37-acre development would also include walking trails and a park area. So far, the only confirmed tenant is Big Y.
When the approval was announced in the winter, work on the site was projected to start this summer and the targeted opening date was fall 2021.
With the last innings of summer here, the Harbor News reached out to the developer and town officials for an update on the property. Greylock representative Ken Navarro said that there had been some delays, but added that he hoped to start the project soon.
In an email, Town Consultant Planner John Guszkowski said in part, “As for Indian River Landing, they are proceeding with demolition and site work plans. The final closing on the property is anticipated sometime in mid- or late-August, depending on the final completion and approval of their [Department of Transportation] traffic permits. Once the traffic permits are in place, closing can happen and so can demolition, which should happen this fall.”
Residents approved the $2.2 million sale of the property to Greylock in 2018. The sale will become official once the final permits are in place.
The development is expected to bring visitors, jobs, and new retail and recreation opportunities to Clinton. Additionally, many Clinton residents are simply eager to see the old Morgan School finally be sold and developed as was planned in 2016.
In 2015, Clinton residents originally approved the conditional sale of the old high school to Mill Pond, LLC, for $2.8 million. Mill Pond, LLC, had planned to turn the property into a mixed-use development similar to the current proposal. The project was supposed to break ground in late 2016; instead developer Henry Resnikoff terminated the agreement with the town in August 2017 citing issues with financing and a permit application from the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.
Residents had expected that the sale of the property would help offset some of the costs associated with constructing the current Morgan School, which opened in the 2016-’17 school year. After the sale to Mill Pond, LLC, fell through, the town was faced with unexpectedly spending additional money on maintenance and security on the old school property.
The town’s Board of Selectmen spent much of 2018 soliciting and vetting new proposals for the site. After narrowing the search down to four finalists that the BOS felt had the financial backing to complete the project, the board made Greylock the official choice in November 2018.