BRIDGEPORT — The city is aiming, either through friendly negotiation or more aggressive means like eminent domain, to get control of a blighted, prominent former South End factory whose owner has failed to move ahead with an eight-year old redevelopment plan.
"It's just a massive property right in the middle of a residential neighborhood, so it's important that be addressed," Thomas Gaudett, deputy chief of staff to Mayor Joe Ganim, said Monday.
The site in question is the three-and-a-half story, 100,000-square-foot former Warnaco clothing factory at 330 Myrtle Ave. New York City-based CT Century Gardens LLC purchased it in 2004 and eight years ago obtained zoning approval to build a nearly 350-unit apartment complex there with ground-floor retail.
But that project never moved forward and late last year the city condemned the dilapidated site to be demolished.
CT Century Gardens, run by Albert Gad, is trying to overturn the condemnation in state Superior Court. A remote status conference before a judge is scheduled for July 20 during which, according to Bridgeport's law department, the defendant has promised to present evidence of a partner prepared to move the redevelopment forward.
Gad could not immediately be reached Monday. In May an assistant of his responded she was "not authorized to comment" on questions forwarded him at that time by Hearst related to the condemnation.
Russell Liskov, the municipal attorney handling that case, in May argued CT Century Gardens has made the claim of a partner to advance the redevelopment in the past "and nothing has panned out." Meanwhile Thomas Gill, Bridgeport's economic development director, in a separate interview in May accused the property owner of "land-banking" — sitting on the site until at some point a potential buyer comes along.
This past spring CT Century Gardens put Warnaco back on the market for $6.5 million, which Gill called a "ridiculous price." The building has been appraised by the city's tax assessor at far less — $1.9 million.
While the condemnation plays out in court, Gill's office late last week submitted a resolution to the City Council seeking authorization to "gain development control" over 330 Myrtle through more than a dozen possible scenarios, from leasing it to a land swap to a "friendly" negotiate purchase to seizing it through eminent domain.
"Eminent domain is always like the last option on the table," Gaudett noted Monday. "We are seeking authority from the council for acquisition in whatever way that may occur."
"We'll just keep going until those buildings are down and the property's being developed," Gaudett concluded.
But city ownership does not necessarily hasten redevelopment, depending on the costs of any environmental cleanup and private sector interest. There are examples around town of publicly owned land that has or is currently being developed and other sites, notably the Majestic and Poli Palace theaters downtown, that have languished.
CT Century Gardens' court appeal of the condemnation cites Warnaco's "potential to be included in the National Register of Historic Places." In May state historic officials indicated to Hearst Connecticut Media that the old manufacturing structure is a potential candidate for preservation but as of that time there were no records of anyone, including the property owner, initiating a formal effort to place the abandoned factory on either the state's or the national historic registers.
City Council member Jorge Cruz, who represents the South End applauded the economic development department's effort to take control of Warnaco.
"Hallelujah. About time," Cruz said. "I want them to take it quickly as possible, knock the place down and bring a developer with a mixed-use (plan) and workforce and affordable housing, with some stores on the bottom. That building has been an eyesore for so many years."
City Council member Tyler Mack, who also represents the South End, said it seems like the resolution forwarded to the council is "a backup plan" should the city not prevail in court over the condemnation appeal. Liskov on Monday said he had not been made aware of the resolution and it is a separate matter from the condemnation.
"We need to weigh all options because that area and particular building has been an eyesore and hasn't done much for the South End in a long time," Mack said.
But, he cautioned, any plans must also factor in the new high school, Bassick, being built nearby and the impact any additional traffic from redeveloping 330 Myrtle Ave. will have on the students and faculty there.
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