NORWICH BULLETIN (December 24, 2019) — From new apartments coming online to businesses relocating or closing, a failed bonding program to a fast-food restaurant’s plea to join a historic community — economic development was a leading story in Norwich during 2018.
In Taftville, developer Finbar O’Neill, of Onekey, LLC, announced in September the completion of phase one of The Lofts at Ponemah Mills’ residential development project, while at the same time breaking ground on Phase 2 of its construction.
The completion of Phase 1 brought 116 residential rental units online, of which 60 percent are low-income housing tax credit units and 40 percent are offered at market rate. Phase 2 of the project, which O’Neil said he hopes will be completed by the fall of 2019, will bring an additional 121 units, including 74 low-income housing tax credit units.
While residents at Ponemah Mills have started filling out the Taftville neighborhood, they are lacking nearby grocery options as Starrwood Market, a longtime Greeneville staple that shuttered its doors in July.
NORWICH BULLETIN (December 19, 2018) — A multimillion-dollar development project proposing to bring an upscale hotel to Yantic may break ground as early as spring.
The Commission on the City Plan Tuesday unanimously approved both the site development plan and the special permit request for a proposed 151-room hotel with several amenities including an indoor pool, restaurant, banquet facility and recreational space at an abandoned mill building in Yantic.
The building, known as Hale Mill, was originally built in 1864 as a textile mill and sits at 140 Yantic Road, across from the Yantic Volunteer Fire Department. According to records at City Hall, the buyer, Mill Development CT LLC, of Woodside, N.Y., purchased the 10-acre property in June for $826,000.
Norwich – Angelo Callis wore a Santa hat and a bright red scarf and carried a sack as he and two assistants visited downtown businesses Monday.
They weren’t carrying holiday presents to shop owners and businesses, but what they did have saves lives.
The three members of Norwich Youth and Family Service’s Partnership for Success program brought Narcan kits and free training to businesses interested in learning how to administer the opioid overdose-reversing drug and stocking it in their establishments.
NORWICH — As part of a new directive to bring more people downtown, Global City Norwich not only celebrated the coming holidays with many activities, but also celebrated the city’s history.
Sunday’s Candy, Cocoa and Coffee Festival sported an array of local vendors, including the Blazin’ BBQ food truck, Opal’s Kitchen and myriad small jewelry and baked goods vendors. There were activities for kids such as rock painting, gingerbread house building, and an appearance from Santa Claus.
They created a spectacle with elves walking around, and even had a few on tall stilts dancing to the music in the street.
Norwich — An Essex-based chemical engineering research and development firm has purchased a vacant 76,000-square-foot building in the business park for $1.9 million and plans to launch an advanced manufacturing arm of the business there once renovations are completed.
Nalas Engineering Services Inc. of the Centerbrook section of Essex purchased the building formerly occupied by Gunther International LTD, at 1 Winnenden Road at the corner of New Park Avenue in the Stanley Israelite Norwich Business Park. The transaction was recorded in the Norwich land records Monday, with the city receiving $9,660 in property conveyance taxes.
Additional Gift is to Focus on Funding for Entrepreneurship & Small Business
NORWICH, Connecticut (December 10, 2018) – The Chelsea Groton Foundation recently presented a grant donation of $100,000 to NCDC’s Global City Norwich program, to be used specifically for assisting multicultural entrepreneurs and small business owners who are interested in occupying storefront spaces in the Downtown area, or who currently own businesses and are looking to grow.
Funds will be used to identify and train entrepreneurs, build partnerships in order to help entrepreneurs find appropriate storefront spaces and funding for their businesses, and create a thriving downtown environment that will ensure increased traffic in area businesses.
“Since the launch of Global City Norwich, we’ve already seen a positive impact on the Norwich community. People came out in droves for the festivals that were hosted this summer and fall. Now, the Chelsea Groton Foundation is thrilled to give another grant to Global City to really focus on developing and assisting multicultural entrepreneurs and small business owners, an area that’s very important to us,” shared Michael Rauh, President and CEO of Chelsea Groton Bank and President of the Chelsea Groton Foundation. “Small business activity is critical to the success of any downtown area, and it will be no different in Norwich. There are incredibly talented entrepreneurs and small business owners in Norwich and the surrounding areas, and we’re looking forward to supporting them through this grant.”
“We believe our business community should be a reflection of our diverse and vibrant community. The Global City Norwich program is focused on removing the barriers to entrepreneurship through collaborations, business education and shared resources. The talent and our future business leaders live amongst us and this program lends to pave the road to business ownership,” explained Bob Mills, President of NCDC.
The first grant presented by the Chelsea Groton Foundation was to assist with the launch and development of Global City Norwich, a multi-cultural program that brings people together to participate in rich, diverse, multicultural experiences that the residents of Norwich and its surrounding communities have to offer.
To view parts of the grant presentation, and to gain a better understanding of the positive impact Global City Norwich has and will continue to have on area business owners, watch this video.
About the Chelsea Groton Foundation The Chelsea Groton Foundation was formed in June 1998 as a Section 501(c) (3) organization. Initially endowed with a $2 million donation from Chelsea Groton Bank, and recently gifted an additional $5 million from the Bank, the Foundation has, to date, awarded over $3.2 million in grants to hundreds of scientific, educational and charitable organizations located within the Bank’s market area. To learn more, visit www.chelseagroton.com/CGFoundation.
About NCDC / Foundry66 NCDC is a private 501(c) (3) development corporation founded to improve the economic condition of Norwich, its Downtown, waterfront and Business Park. Foundry66 is a co-working space dedicated to helping create and support microenterprise businesses in the area. To find out more about us and our mission, please visit www.askncdc.com and www.foundry66.com.
This summer, Norwich welcomed yet another new business: The Royal Punjabi! The Indian and chicken wing restaurant opened its doors July 16, 2018 and has been well received by the Norwich community—including NCDC! We highly recommend checking it out (if you have not done so already!) CLICK HERE to read the more about The Royal Punjabi opening!
Q: Where were you born & raised? Julio: Peru, South America.
Q: What is your role at Canggio? Julio: I’m the owner, the executive chef, dishwasher, referee… everything you can possibly think of.
Q: When did you open Canggio Restaurant? Julio: August 21, 2017
Q: When did you enter the restaurant business? Julio: Right after high school, I started helping my dad in a restaurant. My first job was as a dishwasher at a restaurant in West Springfield, MA. From there, I began working for all kinds of restaurants—French cuisine in West Hartford, Mediterranean in Bloomfield, Greek/Italian in Hartford.
Q: What was your most fulfilling moment working in the food industry? Julio: When I worked at J Restaurant and Bar in Hartford, my first executive chef job, I got to cook for a lot of people I never in my life would have imagined I’d have the opportunity to cook for. I’ve cooked for Andy Grammer, Jason Alexander, Bob Newhart, and John Leguizamo.
Q: Why did you decide to open in Norwich? Julio: People here are great. Everyone gives you their hand and is so ready to help you succeed. One thing that we, as Norwich, have is that we work together.
Q: If someone was trying to open up their own business or restaurant, what advice would you give them? Julio: Don’t give up. It’s easy to give up or walk-away. But follow your goals; you need to give yourself time to make it happen. There have been times that I’ve felt that it’s not worth the struggle, but at the end of the day, when I see customers loving the dishes we make for them that they come back for more—that makes it for me. You’re going to have people there to support you, keep working towards what you believe in.
Q: What are you most looking forward to within the next year or two? Julio: Within the next two years, 1) I want to grow Canggio and make it self-sustaining with the crew that I have and 2) I want to open a prohibition-type bar (speakeasy)…with elegant appetizers and secret entrances, hopefully right here in Norwich. I like the idea of it because I feel it’s new and innovative, and it offers something different. Norwich has given me so much; I feel it’s important to give back to the community that believed in me in the first place.
Canggio’s can be found at 20 Lafayette Street, Norwich, CT 06360.
Foundry 66 has opened its second floor! The addition features two large conference rooms, a yoga and dance studio, and media room. The new space features six offices and 12 designated desks. The design and color were inspired by Sedona Mountain Skyline. (We felt after walking up two flights of stairs you should be rewarded with a delightful array of colors & textures much like the scenery in Sedona!) F66 is hosting a variety of workshops, including Small Business Academy (collaboration with Liberty Bank) and Fall Lunch and Learns, “Creating Your Brand” and “Interactive Enneagram Workshops.”
To schedule a tour of Foundry 66 or to inquire about upcoming workshops, please contact Jill Fritzsche: jfritzsche@askncdc.com or call 860-887-6964.
