Business & Tech

Berlin Town Council selects CIL Development to buy and develop Depot Crossing on Farmington Ave.

Committee proposes CIL be chosen and Town Council votes unanimously to approve.


While the Town Council continued a few issues until the next meeting due to the absence of Town Manager Denise McNair, one major decision was made Tuesday night. 

The Town Council selected CIL Development to buy and develop the property on Farmington Ave. near the train station known as Depot Crossing. CIL has already refurbished and made a blighted property at Sherwood Tool into The Lofts at Sherwood Falls on Main Street. 

"As you recall, the Town has a purchase and sale agreement for the property at 848 Farmington Avenue (Depot Crossing)," Berlin Mayor Adam Salina said. "The Council appointed a committee to conduct an RFQ and recommend a preferred developer for the site."

The committee consisted of Denise, Jim Mahoney, Helly Riggins, Dave Cyr (Chair of EDC) and Ed Egazarian (Vice Chair of EDC).

There were two responses to the RFQ - NMD Realty, LLC and CIL Development Inc. The committee made a unanimous recommendation that the Council select CIL. The Council accepted the recommendation and authorized the Town Manager to enter into a Developer Agreement designating CIL Development Incorporated as the preferred developer to purchase and complete 848 Farmington Avenue, subject to review and approval of the Developer Agreement by Corporation Counsel. 

The Council approved this action 5-0 (Eric Buhrendorf and Maggie Morelli were absent).

"Several criteria were used in this decision," Salina said. "Some topics discussed included: - ability to obtain financing for the project - experience with projects of similar size, scope and complexity - quality of previous projects CIL scored better in these areas, though NMD Reality also made a strong proposal. 

"CIL has an excellent reputation with the state and is very familiar with the state grant process. They have completed a number of projects this size and larger and the town has had an excellent experience with CIL during their transformation of the Sherwood Tool Factory - now called The Lofts at Sherwood Falls."

The Town will now begin the process of drawing up a Developer Agreement and we will keep you posted on the progress. 

"The bottom line is that we will be able to help to revitalize this blighted building without any out of pocket cost from the Town," Salina added. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here