Costco Project Finally on the Right Track
By Robin Vinci at January 24, 2024 | 8:15 am | Print
A final agreement was reached this week that will allow the Costco Project on Hartford Road to move ahead.
“I am confident it is gaining speed and shovels will be in the ground before the spring,” said Mayor Erin Stewart. “There will be a single access point (it was the bone of contention) right past the Target entrance on left hand side.”
There will also be shared fire access land in the back. Both Target and Costco agreed with that plan at their last meeting. Right now, the two companies are just working out the details on it.
“I am waiting for Costco to give me the go ahead,” said Stewart. “I am just happy that both sides were able to come to some agreement and that I could facilitate that. It is truly going to be a benefit for our community in the end.”
The two stores were close to an agreement last month, but still needed a hand in ironing out some issues.
The other problem has been the irrigation at Stanley Golf Course.
“You can’t dig up grass in the winter,” said Stewart. “There is a question of how this is going to affect the golf course and for how long. We don’t want to lose too much business on our course, but we need Costco here.”
Plans for Costco involve building the store on 15.49 parcels of land on Hartford Ave. Three holes on the Stanley Golf Course would be moved to a part of Newington that the City purchased.
Former Mayor Tim O’Brien gave Newington the right for their residents to play at the Stanley Golf Course for the same price as New Britain residents in exchange for letting New Britain buy the property.
The original plan for Costco was approved under Mayor Tim Stewart. When O’Brien ran for Mayor he originally said he was against the plan. When he took office he changed his mind and endorsed the project. But, progress remained slow.
Former Mayor Tim Stewart said when the project was proposed that, “Costco is the biggest thing to happen to New Britain since Celebration Foods.”
The project will bring in about $475,000 a year in new taxes and 220 jobs.
Joseph Montosano representing Costco said at the time the contract details were announced that it included a cost of $4.1 million for the property; Costco would pay to redo all the holes; Costco would pay real estate taxes in full in New Britain and in town of Newington; Costco would pay for all road improvements and pay all fees for permits.
Forbes magazine has placed Costco at No. 3 on its top 10 places to work list.
To purchase goods at Costco, a membership is needed; they start at $55 per year. The company says it has more than 50 million members. Other locations in Connecticut include Waterbury, Milford, Enfield, and Brookfield. The company started in an airplane hangar in California in 1976.
