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Plan to rehabilitate axe factory complex receives wetlands approval

Planning and Zoning application expected in coming months


By John Fitts

Staff Writer

Posted June 14, 2024


CANTON – The town’s Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency on June 13 approved an application related to a plan to redevelop the historic axe factory complex in Collinsville.


The approval is just one of many regulatory steps needed by sisters Lisa and Merritt Tilney, who, through their company Collinsville Redevelopment Company, are seeking to revitalize the site, which from 1826 to 1966 was home to world renowned Collins Co. Today, some 50 businesses operate from the complex with a mix of artists, light industrial, personal services, and more.


The plan would first involve site remediation, followed by horizontal infrastructure and finally a mixed-use plan that -as preliminarily conceived - includes renovation of some 155,000 square feet of existing buildings, repair of 2,000 feet of man-made waterworks and construction of three new residential buildings that would include 224 apartments and 48 condominiums with parking below the buildings. Additionally, plans include 16 condominium units for the circa 1843 granite building. 


Phil Doyle of Landscape Architectural Design Associates leads members of the Canton Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency on a May 23 site walk at the complex .

On April 25, CRC, via its agent – Phil Doyle of Landscape Architectural Design Associates – formally filed the wetlands application. It sought approval for the work in what’s known as the Upland Review Area – areas that fall within 100 feet of a wetland or watercourse. Approximately 12 acres on the site fits into that category due to the Farmington River and manmade waterways. Work would take place over about 7.5 acres of that area and the application particularly focused on aspects such as erosion control and stormwater management.


Only a few people spoke at the hearing.


Aimee Petras, Executive Director of the Farmington River Watershed Association, read from a letter submitted to the commission.


“FRWA is excited for Canton to be entertaining a redevelopment project. Although there is significant pollution on the site and deteriorating/condemned buildings, the site has remained almost vacant for many years,” Petras said. “Redevelopment and revitalization of this property can be beneficial to Canton, but FRWA is concerned about this significant redevelopment, the addition of new buildings, and the human activity related to that redevelopment.”


The letter notes concern in the areas of flood zone development, bringing new users to the waterfront, stormwater management, natural springs in the upland review area and makes several suggestions in those areas.


Jane Latus, president of Canton Advocates for Responsible Expansion spoke, closely mirroring a submitted letter to the commission.


“C.A.R.E. is testifying tonight in solid support of the application by Collinsville Redevelopment Company, LLC for site remediation, rehabilitation, and replacement of buildings and utilities in the Collins Company at 10 Depot Street (File 04-24-1260),” Latus wrote in the letter. “After thorough review of the application and meeting with the developer, we are convinced that this is the re-development plan that Canton/Collinsville has been waiting for. While no re-development plan is perfect, we agree that the sequencing, timing, and thoughtfulness of this application will meet the needs of the town while being sensitive to the existing village residents and the particular character of this stretch of the Farmington River.”


The letter also spoke to removal of contaminated soil, a stabilization plan that included native plantings, staged redevelopment that included environmental protection, public access, a ”thoughtful traffic flow pattern,” and interest in “garden bogs” (rain gardens and bioswales) with native plantings to provide wildlife habitat and reduce runoff.


Bob Bessel also spoke on behalf of the Canton Economic Development Agency.


"We all recognize from an economic standpoint the potential of this site to generate a great deal of tax revenue,” Bessel said. “So, from an EDA standpoint, that’s great. But we also recognize that if this site does not conform to, does not blend with the environment around it, it’s not going to work very well. Again, all our meetings with the Tilneys have proven out that there’s a great deal of sensitivity and a genuine effort to collaborate with all the agencies, all the interested parties to ensure that this plan is workable, that it gets the job done and handles all the various competing concerns that we have environmentally, economically, socially, traffic wise and you name it…. We also recognize that if this site doesn’t get remediated, if the canals are not restored, if the myriad concerns that everyone has – the invasives, the erosion controls, all of that – if they’re not handled, in another five years we may not have a site at all to be working with. So, we are unanimously in favor of this proposal and we see in the Tilneys a very good, strong partner that we are confident we can work with in the years ahead.”


Members of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency also asked some questions of the project team and had them briefly respond to the concerns in the FRWA letter, some of which are under the agency’s jurisdiction and others which are shared with other regulatory bodies such as the Planning and Zoning Commission.

 

Commission members also asked some questions. One had to do with contaminated soil – as under the plan the project proposes removing deeper contamination from the site and potentially uses a small amount of less contaminated soil under buildings or other infrastructure.


The development team noted that there are more than 100 test holes on site. While a report from GZA, which notes that soil contaminants requiring remediation include lead, arsenic, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) could cost $2.2 and $3.4 million, Doyle acknowledged that the team understands there could be surprises.

 

Members of the development team and the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency are visible through this traffic mirror during a May 23 site walk.

“No matter what we do and how many tests we put out there, you have seen it and I have seen it in both of our roles in construction," Doyle said. "No matter how many tests you do you’re always going to find something in between the tests. That’s just the law of averages so you have to be prepared for it. We have to be prepared for it.”

 

Commission members also special conditions, asking for example, that machinery on site not be parked overnight in upland review areas and that activities such as re-fueling be done outside of that area.

  

The commission vote for approval was unanimous and member Robert Bahre praised the thoroughness of the application.

 

“I will say this is probably one of the most thorough plans we’ve received information wise, from every aspect … on a very big site 19 acre site,” Bahre said. “That’s a big site and it looks like they’ve done all their due diligence.”

 

Collinsville Redevelopment will need many other approvals before commencing work for the project. Soon, the team working with the company plans to apply for a dam safety permit with the state Department of Environmental Protection – needed for work on the forebay dam and manmade waterways that course through the site.  An application to the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission is also expected this year. Many other approvals are needed, particularly as the Tilneys are seeking a mix of private and public funding, but those two next steps are critical for the project.

 

“We are thrilled with the IWWA approval granted last night and are grateful to members of the Commission for their thoughtful review of our plans, including a site walk to understand the complexity of the application,” the Tilney sisters said in a statement for the Valley Press. “This is a very important first step in a series of approvals, and we are excited about our progress towards the eventual rehabilitation of the factory. We hope to submit a dam safety application to CT DEEP in July and will also submit plans to Canton Planning + Zoning later this summer or early fall.”



Lisa and Merritt Tilney, through their company Collinsville Redevelopment Company, are seeking to revitalize the 19.3-acre site with a mixed-use plan that include renovation of some 155,000 square feet of existing buildings, repair of 2,000 feet of man-made waterworks and construction of three new residential buildings that would include 224 apartments and 48 condominiums with parking below the buildings. Additionally, plans include 16 condominium units for the circa 1843 granite building. While this overall site plan is not a final version, it speaks to the idea of keeping the tradition of commercial spaces on the western portion of the property, light industrial uses near the center of it and add residential uses to the eastern portion of the land.

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Valley Happenings

Fighting Cancer Pasta Dinner:

Benefit for Avon Volunteer Fire Department

Deputy Chief Dave Theriault

Saturday, February 22, 2025, 3:00-7:00 p.m. 

Avon Senior Center, 635 West Avon Road, Avon

AVFD Deputy Chief of Administration Dave Theriault is facing a tough battle against Stage 4 cancer. The AVFD, along with Tunxis Hose Co. No. 1 and the Farmington Fire Department, is holding a pasta dinner to help raise money for Chief Theriault’s medical expenses. In addition to delicious food, drinks, and camaraderie, the event will feature dozens of raffle prizes. Event tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for seniors and children under 10 years old. They can be purchased at the door or in advance at AVFD Headquarters, 25 Darling Drive, Avon (Mondays, 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. and Tuesdays-Fridays, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). Contributions can be made via Venmo @supportDave or by mail to the AVFD at 25 Darling Drive, Avon, CT 06001. 

Canton Community Health Fund Applications

Canton Community Health Fund, Inc. Opens 2025 Application Season, on March 1, 2025, for Canton Community Partner Grants & Canton Scholars Pursuing Careers in Healthcare or Public Safety Canton Community Health Fund, Inc. (CCHF), opens its grant and scholarship application season March 1. CCHF encourages State of CT certified non-profits serving the Canton community to apply for Community Partner grants. In addition, graduating high school seniors seeking higher education in healthcare or public safety are invited to apply for either a Dr. Diters Legacy Scholarship or a Pay It Forward Scholarship. Applications and informative Fact Sheets are available online at www.cantoncommunityhealthfund.org.  Community Partner Grant and Scholarship awards will be announced in June/2025.

 

Avon Library events

AVON –The following events are scheduled at Avon Free Public Library. The library is at Avon Library, 281 Country Club Road, Avon. All programs are in person except where noted. For more information on adult programs, contact Adult Services Reference Desk via avonref@avonctlibrary.info 860-673-9712 x 7203

• Antique Map Collecting 101, Saturday, Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. Registration is required: https://www.avonctlibrary.info/event/antique-map-collecting/

• Morning Book Club. Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 10:30 a.m., The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose, Registration is required: https://www.avonctlibrary.info/events/tag/morning-book-club/

• Meditation for Balance and Inner Contentment. (Virtual Event) Thursday, Feb. 6 at 7 pm.

• Eastern Coyotes in Connecticut (Virtual Event) Thursday, Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m.

• Fashion and the First Lady (Virtual Event). Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.

• Hoop Skirts to Flappers: Eighty Years of Connecticut Fashion. Monday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m.

• The Golden Age of Hollywood. (Virtual Event) Tuesday, March 4 at 2 pm.

 

Simsbury Lions Club

The Simsbury Lions Club is looking for people interested in volunteering and contributing to better our town. Our motto is “We serve,” and we do so by volunteering at local events and donating our proceeds to serving interests in our community.

If interested, please feel free to contact Sandy Kremer at Tprkremer@gmail.com or Philip Painchaud at painchaudp@gmail.com.”

 

Winter sowing workshop

The Farmington Land trust is hosting a winter sowing workshop focused on raising native plants. Make your own up-cycled greenhouse from a milk jug and prep some beneficial native plants for the coming growing season. Sunday, Feb 2 from 11a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Farmington Senior Center. RSVP here: https://www.farmingtonlandtrust.org/event-details/winter-sowing-seminar-native-seed-planting

 

Wild Flowers from Spring to Fall

CANTON – The Cherry Brook Garden Club is hosting a lecture on “Following Our Wild Flowers from Spring to Fall” on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 11 a.m. at the Canton Community Center, lower level, 40 Dyer Avenue. Steve Messier, Lichenologist and former Science teacher at Canton High School will discuss the topic. The lecture is open to the public. There is a $5 guest fee for non-members. Email questions to cherrybrookgardenclub@gmail.com.

 

‘Five Wishes’ at McLean

SIMSBURY – Join Kevin Baran, M.D., medical director, and the McLean Hospice Team for a special “McLean & Me Educational Series” presentation to learn how to talk about and record your wishes for care through the end of life, so those wishes can be understood and respected. The presentation will be held at McLean’s Garmany Performing Arts Center, 50 Sarah Lane, Simsbury, on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 6 p.m. The presentation is free but an RSVP by Feb. 4 is required as seating is limited. A light dinner will be provided.

To register, visit McLeanCare.org/Events, email Margaret.Clark@McLeanCare.org, or call 860-658-3718.

 

‘Art Throb!’ Exhibit

Gallery on the Green presents “Art Throb!” Exhibit plus a Solo Exhibit by Kathi Packer Friday, Feb. 14 through Saturday, March 15. An opening reception is on Saturday, Feb. 15 from 6-8 p.m. and will include refreshments. The show and reception are free.

“Art Throb!” is a heartfelt Valentine’s Day celebration presented by the membership of Canton Artists’ Guild. The artists use a wide range of media including painting, prints, drawing, photography, sculpture, ceramics and mixed media to represent the emotional intensity, joy and complexity of love.

In the upstairs Gallery, Kathi Packer has a solo show, “Another Tale.”  Packer notes that a friend’s casual invitation to go on safari in 2008 substantially changed the direction of her artistic journey.The gallery is located near the intersection of Dowd Avenue and Route 44 at 5 Canton Green Road in Canton. Hours are Friday – Sunday, 1-5 pm. The main floor gallery is handicapped accessible.

Website: http://www.galleryonthegreen.org; Phone:  860-693-4102

 

TABLESCAPES fundraiser returns to benefit the new

Avon History Museum

AVON – The Avon Historical Society invites the public to its sixth TABLESCAPES event showcasing up to 30 creative and original table settings on Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15 at the historic North House, 1 Nod Road, Avon.

This event will feature themed table settings from local professional designers, florists, businesses, individuals, artists and others featuring fresh floral arrangements, centerpieces and accessories. Proceeds will benefit the installation of professionally curated exhibits in the new Avon History Museum scheduled to open on Friday, July 4, 2025.

Back by popular demand will be a “Table and Barware Tag Sale” on both days. Admission to TABLESCAPES includes the tag sale. Tickets are $20 each pre-sale and at the door. Tickets can be purchased online at www.avonhistoricalsociety.org or by calling Mary Harrop at 860-670-3225 before March 8.

Those interested in sponsorship opportunities can also call Harrop.

 

Alzheimer’s Support Group

FARMINGTON – Hearts, Hugs & Hope: An Alzheimer’s Support Group takes place Feb. 20, 2025, 6 p.m. at Farmington Station Assisted Living and Memory Care Community, 111 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington. Dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia isn’t easy, so it is helpful to share your concerns and personal experiences with others who completely understand what you’re going through. You will also learn about proven strategies to help you better care for your family member. This group is being offered both in person and via Zoom on the third Thursday of each month. If you plan to attend, contact Director of Compass Programming Katherine Jedynasty at kjedynasty@farmingtonslr.com.

 

Used book sale

AVON - A huge book sale will be held Feb. 28 and March 1 in St. Ann’s Church Hall, 289 Arch Road at Route 167.  Hours are Friday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. ($5 adult admission) and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (no admission fee).

Thousands of books will be organized in separate sections, including Fiction, History, Biography, Politics, Children, Music, Cooking, Sports, Art, Vintage, and more!  A large selection of Children’s books will be available.  Fiction books will be divided by hardcover, paperback, and trade paperback and sorted alphabetically by author.  DVDs, CDs, books on CDs, Vinyl records, and puzzles will be available, also.  Most books will be $3 or less with vintage and specialty books priced higher.

 

Daisy Days: All-Girls Summer Day Camp Experience

FARMINGTON – Miss Porter’s School, a renowned institution with a legacy of empowering young women, is excited to announce the launch of Daisy Days, an all-new day camp for girls entering grades 3-5 this fall. Starting this summer, Daisy Days will offer a unique, joy-filled experience designed to spark creativity, build confidence, and inspire self-discovery in an empowering all-girls environment.

For additional details, visit pcgl.porters.org/daisy-days.

 

Artist demonstration

Avon Arts Association will hold a guest artist demonstration featuring  Granby artist Laura Eden on Tuesday, February 18 at  Avon Town Hall, 60 W. Main St., lower level, at 6:30 p.m. Ms. Eden will demonstrate egg tempera painting.

The demo is free and open to the public ($5 suggested donation). A workshop with Ms. Eden will be held at the same location in the Avon Room on Saturday, Feb. 22, 10-2 with  set up at 9:30. Fee: $45 for members, $55 for nonmembers). www.AvonArts.org

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