At a meeting on Dec. 21, the developer of the Unilever property met with the Town Council to request a tax abatement he says will help develop the property. The council asked for more information before a decision could be made.

Last month, Developer Michael Massimino presented the Planning and Zoning Commission with a master plan for the redevelopment of the former Unilever property. Following that meeting, Massimino attended a Town Council meeting on Dec. 21 where he told the Council he wanted to start a dialogue about possibly receiving a tax abatement to help develop the property.

When building a new project, developers sometimes have limited capital at the beginning of the development and often ask for an abatement until the project is underway and making money. Developers argue abatements are an aid in helping attract tenants so that projects can be built as proposed. The Town Council approved a similar abatement deal with the developer of the Indian River Landing project back in 2019.

Massimino said he had submitted a proposed tax abatement fee structure to the town’s attorney for review. Additionally, Massimino said he had hired a firm to perform a fiscal analysis on the potential development of the property.

Town Council chairman Chris Aniskovich said that the Council would need to see the fiscal analysis to examine the development’s impact on the town. Massimino said he would come to a future Council meeting in the coming weeks to present the study when it is complete.

The Master Plan

The Unilever plant was a significant part of Clinton’s economy for more than 100 years, but Unilever closed the plant at the end of 2012. The site sat vacant for nearly seven years and through a series of proposals for reuse that never came to fruition. In July 2019, the sale of the massive property and several adjacent plots once again sparked interest in its potential redevelopment.

During his presentation, Massimino briefly revisited the property’s master plan.

According to the plan, the development, if built to completion, will feature 155 apartments and 53 townhomes, an indoor sportsplex, and a restaurant and potential brewery.

At 1 John Street, Massimino proposed using a portion of the building for 48 apartments, amenity space, an indoor sports facility, and a restaurant and brewery. Massimino said he is negotiating with a potential indoor sports space tenant.

The tenant, who Massimino said he could only reveal once the deal is complete, is interested in using the space for a turf field, pickleball courts, a gym, and a golf simulator. Massimino said no current tenant is lined up for the brewery and restaurant, though there is space for a potential tenant.

An internal road and sidewalk would link the train station and apartment building with two new entrances and exits on North High Street. More townhomes would be built by these entrances.

Massimino said that the project has been divided up into different construction phases. Phase one is currently underway with the construction of 45 apartments at 9-15 John Street. Massimino said he anticipated that project to be completed by the early spring of 2023.

Phase two would include construction at the main headquarters building and 7 Central Ave. Phase three would consist of the construction of townhomes by 20 North High Street, and phase four would include the construction of 24 townhomes on a road built to connect to North High Street. Massimino anticipated that phase two would take 18 to 24 months to complete.