Meriden City Center Initiative

Public Involvement Process
Commercial Center Market Assessment

	Introduction & Purpose

	Commercial Center Summary

	Office & Institutional Uses Summary

	Rental Housing Summary

	Ownership Housing Summary

	Sports & Leisure Summary

	Light Industrial/Flexible Office Summary

	Market Potential Matrix
Environmental Impact Analysis
Harbor Brook Realignment
Preliminary Design of Transportation Improvements
Conceptual Land Use
Design Guidelines
Fiscal and Economic Impact Assessment
Appendix A: Property Acquisition Plan
Appendix B: Residential Relocation Strategy
Appendix C: Preliminary Opinion of Cost Summary

Introduction & Purpose

AMS Advisory Services (under contract to BL Companies) was engaged by Meriden Economic Resources Group, Inc. (MERG) to perform market assessments for potential downtown Meriden redevelopment. The downtown market analysis focuses on two sub-areas of the CCI: the Meriden Green and the Commercial Center. This area is currently improved with the now vacant Meriden Hub, a 230,000 SF retail and light industrial structure and two rental residential complexes totaling approximately 300 units.

The targeted area, defined in the Meriden City Center Initiative Master Plan of July 2002 as the Meriden Green and Commercial Center, is a large one, aggregating nearly 40 acres in all. The scope of the project and potential timeline, which may encompass more than ten years, require a carefully planned and phased redevelopment strategy. Given the timeframe, initial phases of the plan should anticipate and facilitate the long-term civic and economic development objectives of the Meriden community. The purpose of this market assessment is to assist in that effort by defining future opportunities both immediate and long term in view of current market conditions.

As preliminarily conceived, the 14-acre Hub complex would be demolished to create the Green and a portion of the commercial redevelopment area. The Hub is constructed over Harbor Brook, which flows through the center of Meriden and occasionally floods into the building. Demolition of the Hub will enable the city to bring Harbor Brook back to the surface, be instrumental in designing flood control and provide the new green with a water amenity. The two residential complexes to the northeast are similarly targeted for partial or total demolition after relocation of residents, further facilitating flood control and redesigned roadways that will connect the Commercial Center to I-691 and the Westfield Shoppingtown Meriden mall much more effectively. This area would also be redeveloped commercially as feasible.

Surrounding uses are a mixture of manufacturing (including Meriden Manufacturing), and multi family residential to the north along Camp Street; mixed use retail and office, high density residential (including The Kennedy Apartments) and social services to the east along Pratt and Center Streets; offices and branch banks along East Main Street; and the railroad tracks and social services (including the Community Health Center), to the west along State Street.

In completion of this assignment, AMS analyzed pertinent economic, demographic and social trends in order to assess the potential market for a variety of possible redevelopment uses. Markets assessed include retail, office and institutional, housing, sports and leisure and light industrial/flex office.