Strictly Commercial — Part 1

The Commons Is Newest Focal Point Of Uncommon Commercial Boom

By John Voket

This is the opening segment of an ongoing series focusing on both recently opened and soon-to-be opening retail and commercial developments throughout Newtown.

Occasional visitors to Newtown who venture up Church Hill Road between the highway and the flagpole might exclaim that the quaint retail/commercial buildings at the corner of Queen Street popped up in a long vacant field like a patch of bright yellow and white mushrooms. But those whose daily trek brings them through the same busy intersection might counter that the finished plaza, appropriately dubbed Church Hill & Queen Commons, seemed to take shape in slow and deliberate fashion over the wet and cold winter months.

Regardless of the perception, the commercial center celebrated its grand opening just a few weeks ago, boasting a mix of businesses including a martial arts studio, a full service bank, a law firm, a gift and card shop, nail salon, mortgage company, real estate firm, and a dry cleaners. A few spaces are still available for occupancy.

While “The Commons” may be the conceptual retail spoke in Newtown’s center, the wheels of commerce, especially involving both retail and commercial developments, are chugging away, particularly along South Main Street and into Botsford, and down Church Hill Road to Sandy Hook. Talk about popping like mushrooms — the corridor from the flagpole southward to the Monroe town line is boasting dozens of new or newly relocated businesses, and nearly a half-dozen new or reconfiguring retail centers.

Sand Hill Plaza, the town’s largest shopping center, is experiencing a number of changes. The most notable have been the exodus of several smaller retail and service businesses that relocated either elsewhere in town, or to other communities, to make room for the expansion of the TJ Maxx store into an area formerly occupied by a small mall and commons.

A liquor retailer in that same plaza will soon be under new ownership, Grooming Finalists, a dog grooming business, has relocated to 105 South Main, and Monroe Nail salon is still seeking a new location. According to Liz Stocker, director of community development, Panera Breads will open a bakery and restaurant in a corner location, Sleepy’s will relocate into a larger space, and Eye Care Plus will move into a new space in another area of the plaza.

Avance Esthetiques will remain in its current location, the Plaza Cleaners already moved into the Village Center closer to town, and the UPS Store has moved to Waterfall Plaza. In January the new local Washington Mutual Bank opened across South Main Street at the Waterfall Plaza, and was recently joined by Coldstone Creamery.

A fast-food eatery is scheduled to open at that new plaza, as well. The approved Plaza South shopping center that will be adjacent to Sand Hill Plaza makes up the bulk of the inventory of new space with approximately 70,000 square feet of space planned in the area.

The developer is planning for a number of buildings on the site, effectively making the proposed development more like a lifestyle center that has many advantages including availability of more space for smaller independent retailers, Ms Stocker added.

In addition, The Black Swan Stove and Gift Shop is redeveloping and expanding its business into a new 10,000-square-foot building that will replace the existing structures on South Main Street. Owners Carrie and Tom Swan plan to realign their retail business for better service and efficiency.

The Church Hill and Queen Commons, a proposed 4,500-square-foot office/retail building at 50 South Main Street, a 6,000-square-foot retail/office building at 224 South Main Street, and the 21,000-square-foot Berkshire Plaza make up the remaining projects.

Sandy Hook has also seen a marked growth of retail/commercial development including a new restaurant and tavern straddling the corner of Church Hill and Glen Roads, the new Sundaes ice cream shop, the Mocha Coffee Shop, and Tre Ragazze gift shop.

These and other existing businesses including Subway, Toy Tree, Fun Kuts children’s salon, Coach’s Deli, Sandy Hook Hair Co., Newtown Computer Services, Rich’s Lock shop, Newtown Karate, Porco’s Construction, Little Green Barn, Mr Turtle’s School, the Sandy Hook Diner and Wesley Learning Center should benefit significantly from an ambitious streetscape improvement. That multiphase initiative primarily financed by state grants will be incorporating new sidewalks, planters, benches and other features, that will dovetail with a new park along the adjacent bank of the Pootatuck River.

“This increase in retail space is seen as a boost to the local economy and a revitalization of Newtown’s retail inventory, which has not increased significantly since the redevelopment of the Newtown Shopping Center was completed in 1998,” Ms Stocker said, “The Economic Development Commission is looking forward to this increase in inventory as it opens a tight market that has not grown appreciably in several years.”

The next segment of this series will introduce the tenants of Church Hill & Queen Commons.