Kohl's Coming To Berlin

Berlin Mayor Adam Salina promised that 2012 would be a huge year for the town in the area of economic development. While he wouldn't say exactly what the new developments were, he promised the town's residents would be happy with the results.

Score another one for the town, as Salina reported that a memorandum of lease between Kohl’s Department Stores, Inc. and Cedar Brickyard, LLC was filed in the Town of Berlin Land Records on January 25.

The memorandum of lease concerns a proposed 58,417 square Kohl’s Department Store to be built in Brickyard Plaza Shopping Center at 245 Berlin Turnpike in Berlin. The store is to be constructed on a portion of the space formerly occupied by Sam’s Club. Cedar Brickyard LLC obtained site plan approval for the project from the Berlin Planning and Zoning Commission in April of 2011.

A demolition permit was issued by the Town in July of 2011 and recently the contractor has completed removal of the former building façade. When the project is complete Brickyard Plaza Shopping Center will have over 279,000 square feet of space. The Center is currently anchored by The Home Depot.

While Kohl's will not talk about the move to Berlin yet because the project has a ways to go, the store could bring many jobs and help attract more businesses to town.

“I am extremely excited that Kohl’s has chosen to locate in Berlin and I am confident that this will lead to more retail development opportunities for Berlin in the future," Berlin Mayor Adam Salina said. "Brickyard Plaza is a major development for our community on the Berlin Turnpike and Kohl’s is a welcomed addition.  It is wonderful to know that the existing hole in the plaza will soon be filled with a thriving store that is known for its strong community involvement and family-focused values. 

"This development follows an impressive series of recent business developments in Berlin including Fosdick Fulfillment’s lease of 250,000 square feet of distribution space on Worthington Ridge, OKAY Industries’ purchase of a 60,000+ square foot building on New Park Drive in Berlin and the opening of the Schaller Subaru facility on Frontage Road.

"In a short time we have also been awarded a $500,000 Brownfield Grant, a $500,000 STEAP Grant, and introduced the renovation of the KGS Building for senior housing. This has been an outstanding beginning to the year with more announcements on the way.”  

Salina said there are a number of factors that have attributed to the string of recent successes.

"Number one, it is not due to any one person," Salina said. "Our location is attractive to manufacturing and companies because of its accessibility to major highways. Number two, businesses have told us they are attracted by the stable tax rate. The fact that our taxes are not going up and down each year and the grand list shows continual growth even in tough economic times is an important factor. And lastly, they like that this town supports itself. Whether it be support for schools or supporting the Berlin Fair, the volunteers come out and take care of their own."

Salina said he thought a few of the projects would have come to fruition last fall but the fact that they have come together so close together is great and gives the town a very strong recruiting position.

"It's great to drive around and see the Subaru dealership lit up from the highway where Saturn was," Salina said. "In my min, the next big opportunity is the Food Mart plaza. Everyone has their own priority list but to me, that should be our next big piece to the puzzle. It would be great not to just fill Food Mart but to find somebody who would come in and re-furbish the entire plaza from where Woolworth's was to the Food Mart. Obviously, anything on Farmington Ave. would also help our outlook."

For more information, go to http://www.kohls.com/ 

This will give your readers a preview of all the great merchandise they can expect from their new store.