Project History
In late 2000, a group of local Economic Development concerns,
namely MERG, MEDCO, the Greater Meriden Chamber of Commerce and the City of
Meriden represented by various staff and politicians, established an opened,
cooperative or collaborative forum in a quarterly luncheon format sponsored by
Castle Bank & Trust. This venue provided an invaluable catalyst to talk
about, look at, think about and, most importantly, listen for the opportunities
that surfaced. It was this coalition of PEOPLE from which we capitalized on the
individual insights that only a critical mass can offer to a problem.
Pursuant to the various meetings and discussion amongst these
organizations, it had been identified that there is a need for an ongoing and
significant effort towards stimulating economic activity in the City’s Central
Core. As there have been many proposals and ideas emerging over decades and many
within recent years and months of these discussions, it had become clear that in
order for the City of Meriden as a community to benefit from these various
efforts, a comprehensive understanding of the current circumstances impacting
this City’s Center and the formulation of a defined strategy to achieve the
ultimate goal of urban renewal is critical to each individual project’s
success. Various proposals had been developed with limited momentum and support
from the community and the State due to the lack of identifying a clear and
unified vision for Meriden’s City Center.
On March 22, 2001, after one of these "Economic
Luncheons" with Sen. Tom Gaffey in attendance, MERG offered its resources
to facilitate the development of what has become known as the Meriden City
Center Initiative - a Comprehensive Plan for Revitalization. This joint effort
was ratified and accepted by the Meriden City Council on June 18, 2001 with a
resolution recognizing MERG’s efforts. Over the next year and in the wake of
events such as September 11th, the announcement of the first State deficit in
nearly a decade, and a changing of the Political Guard in Meriden with the
election of an independent candidate for Mayor, MERG’s efforts secured
resource commitments from its Board, MEDCO, the Greater Meriden Chamber of
Commerce and the SBC/SNET Foundation and in late March 2002, commissioned BL
Companies of Meriden to prepare a Master Plan for Meriden’s City Center.
The role of BL was to:
1.) study the current issues impacting the designated area of interest;
2.) identify and review the proposed projects within the Project area to date;
3.) identify additional opportunities within the area; and,
4.) develop a comprehensive master plan for the area which would identify the
need for public participation to stimulate private investment in an ultimate
redevelopment program.
Implicit in this process has been a strong sense of
inclusion, and not exclusion. It is understood with any venture of this
magnitude, especially in the public arena, that there will be a significant
impact on the LIVES and LIVELIHOOD of many individuals as well as the community
at large. It is, however, the actualization of this inclusive and collaborative
process by which those that are most significantly impacted will find
opportunity to both contribute to its refinement and participate in the
opportunities that are created for themselves and the entire community.
