When it Comes to Economic Development, Vernon Officials Have a Focus on the Big Picture

With 13 ribbon-cutting ceremonies scheduled or about to be scheduled from the winter into the spring, Vernon has arguably been as active on the economic development front as any area municipality.

Mayor George Apel has even joked that his arms are tired from wielding the large, ceremonial scissors as often as he has.

The area on Talcottville Road - state Route 30 - from the K-Mart Plaza to Merline Road is a perfect example.

Cardio Express has moved  from its old location up the road about a half-mile to the plaza is has been trying to get to for some time. Its old location with the circular front was not vacant very long when Jumpin' Jonnies, an indoor bouncy house gymnasium for youngsters, committed to move in.

Meanwhile, Tractor Supply is planning a new store for the plaza up the road next to Aldi and the Spare Time bowling center and First Hartford Realty is applying for a site plan for a convenience store and filling station in a partially finished building in the corridor.

The land at 129 Taslcottville Ropad around and behind Taco Bell is being studied and marketed.

Over in Rockville, the developers of the Roosevelt Mills project to convert the old sweater factory into a combination residential and commercial entity have been granted a six-month extension - to September - to work on some creative financing options and tweak the site plan.

The Rockville Downtown Association is overseeing a project to restore the old falls in and it almost done.

Apel and Economic Development Director Shaun Gately are both quick to say they are happy with the progress. But they will also say that the big picture must be looked at.

When asked of they could pinpoint the top five vacancies, they flat-out refused.

Three? Still no.

Their reasoning? Every vacancy has equal importance, they said.

"I would not limit the list to three - or even five," Gately said this week. "These projects all take a considerable amount of time to get moving, so if we are not working on multiple projects, then we are limiting our chances of success."

Gately said one focus is "all of the vacant land around exit 66 and 67," including the former Sports Plex / Home Depot site."

He elaborated by saying, "If we fail to plan on developing the entire area then again we are limiting our options."

Roosevelt is not the only old mill of concern.

"There are all the mills - Talcottville, Roosevelt, Hockanum, MacDermit, and the list goes on," he said. "If we are going to make a significant change here in town, vacant land, abandoned buildings, housing, and multiple other considerations need to be looked at together."

Apel agreed.

"We cannot look at development in terms of one building, one area," Apel said. "We have to look at how the vacancies and available land interact with each other. For example, what we do at exit 67 does affect what happens at exit 66."