A revised set of applications for the proposed redevelopment of the Regal Cinemas site at 329 East Main Street are currently being reviewed by the Branford Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC), which plans to pick up the discussion at its next meeting.

During a public hearing on July 18, the PZC began looking at the newly proposed changes being requested across four applications. The applications seek PZC approval for a Planned Development District (PDD) master plan, a PDD site plan, special exception for grading, and a three-lot subdivision.

The PZC last saw plans for the site in March 2024, which were subsequently withdrawn by the same applicant. The new plan calls for a three-lot subdivision, rather than a four-lot. The new proposal eliminates bringing in one large scale, mixed-use commercial and residential building; as well as eliminating the earlier plan’s addition of a drive-through coffee shop. The new plan further reduces impervious surfaces and would include additional landscape enhancements and plantings.

The new plan calls for continuing to operate the existing Walgreen’s on the property and implementing an adaptive reuse of the Regal Cinemas building as a commercial self-storage facility. As for new construction, a rendering shared by The Sullivan Architecture Group (Milford) showed the site would add four three-story buildings. They include one mixed-use building (fronting Route 1) and three multifamily buildings (on the side of the lot closest to the I-95 exit 55 exchange). The new housing would create a total 172 units, of which 20% will be offered as affordable housing.

Spread among the three residential buildings would be 20 studios, 131 one-bedrooms and 22 two-bedrooms. Creating three residential buildings will allow for increased landscaped areas to create a more communal residential site. The outdoor spaces planned will incorporate amenities such as a grill station, multipurpose lawns, tot area, and fire pit areas.

The mixed-use building fronting East Main Street would include first floor amenities for multifamily building residents’ use, including a fitness space and club house. The three-story building will also offer 3,000 square feet of retail space and 3,200 square feet for medical office use.

Plans for landscape coverage around foundations of all buildings on the site, including the storage facility, exceeds requirements. Street trees will be added along Route 1 including the area fronting Walgreen’s. In total, over an acre of green space will be added with the new plan, due in part to a reduction in impervious (parking lot) coverage from 55% to just a little over 45%. The addition of pedestrian sidewalks will also improve property use.

During the July 18 PZC meeting (held via Zoom), these items were discussed with the PZC on behalf of contract purchaser CP Branford LLC by attorney John Knuff, together with experts working on different areas of the PDD. The group is also currently in front of Branford’s Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency with an application regarding the site’s perimeter wetlands.

As part of the site use, the only vehicular traffic pattern allowed to access the residential buildings will be from the East Main Street signaled entrance (also used for the storage facility and Walgreen’s). There will be no access to a gated entrance for fire access and a pumping station in back of the eastern portion of the property. As a result, area single-family homeowners will not be impacted by residential traffic at the site, Knuff noted. Additionally, a restricted town convenant, dating back to the 1960’s, restricts any building on the eastern side of the lot. Knuff said dialouge has been ongoing and productive with neighbors in close proximity to the proposed PDD.

The revised plan’s site traffic is also not expected to greatly impact the adjacent Route 1 roadway, according to a traffic study by BL Companies presented on behalf of the applicant July 18. Changes from the application which was withdrawn will now result in roughly a 40% reduction in the traffic patterns which had been anticipated due to the previous application, the BL representative noted.

Redesign to the Regal Cinemas building by SGW Architect & Design, Chicago, moves the entry point of the building to the west side. It remodels the existing entry with added architectural facade improvements and features designed to better match the design of the new residential buildings. New “faux” windows will help break down the building’s scale, and further relate the building to the residential buildings across the way. The building will have some trellises along its base to soften edges and coordinate with overall landscaping planned for the district. A loading bay will be incorporated in an area away from the residential portion of the development.

Knuff said the changes were based on hearing “a lot of good information ” from the PZC during the earlier application, together with continued work on processes with the Town staff.

“It was a gradual evolution but I think the end result is something we can all be part of,” said Knuff.

The July 18 PZC meeting via Zoom was taped by BCTV. Visit the Town of Branford website at branford-ct.gov to see upcoming PZC agendas and meeting times.