Paths Continue to Clear for Development of Storrs Downtown

Recent actions represent major steps forward for the Storrs Downtown project.

Since the beginning of the new year, the town of Mansfield and the Mansfield Downtown Partnership have cleared several major hurdles in the effort to create a downtown for Storrs – and are ever-closer to the goal of breaking ground for the project this spring.

At a special meeting on January 4, the Mansfield Town Council authorized Town Manager Matthew Hart to sign a development agreement between the town, Storrs Center Alliance and Education Realty Trust (EDR) – the development team for the project – for the first two construction phases of Storrs Downtown, known as 1A and 1B.

These two initial phases account for more than $87 million of the total $220 million estimated cost of the project. Once completed, they will result in 73,400 square feet of retail space and at least 769 additional parking spaces in Storrs Downtown.

“From its outset, Storrs Center has been a partnership among the town, the citizens and businesses of the Mansfield area, and the university,” said UConn President Philip Austin. “The development agreement is a milestone which brings Mansfield one step closer to having a true college town.”

A zoning permit application to develop Phases 1A and 1B was submitted to the town of Mansfield’s Director of Planning on January 14. On Feb. 9 after a public hearing and review by the Mansfield Downtown Partnership, the town director of planning determined that the zoning permit for Phases 1A and 1B is consistent with the Storrs Center Special Design District regulations approved by the Mansfield Planning and Zoning Commission in 2007.

Thus far, 12 businesses have signed letters of intent regarding retail space that will be part of Phase 1A and initial designs of the first buildings have begun. The businesses are:

“We have been making great progress in recent weeks,” said Cynthia vanZelm, executive director of the Partnership. “While there are still additional steps that need to be approved, I’m feeling confident we will be able to break ground this spring.”