Raymark Ballfield Remediation: Avoiding the Pitfalls of 'Politics'

Second in a series.

Michael Taylor is no stranger to the myriad of challenges and problems that the Raymark contamination sites throughout town pose to Stratford and its residents.

Taylor, president of Vita Nuova, “is a leading strategist in implementing redevelopments at brownfield and Superfund sites.” He has served as “project manager, facilitator and key strategist working with stakeholders to sustainably redevelop projects across the country.”

He has consulted “to industry, the federal government, cities, and communities” like Stratford “on some of the most contaminated sites in the country.” 

Perhaps most importantly, Taylor has “special expertise in bringing diverse parties to consensus to facilitate redevelopment.”

 Locals would agree that there are few human political species more diverse than “Stratford Republicanus” and “Democratis Stratforditees.”

Taylor acknowledged as much on April 7 before a small group at Birdseye Municipal Complex. There, he and Vita Nuova Vice President Elaine Richardson presented their “Raymark Ballfield Reuse Planning" study, which among other options suggested that the town’s public works complex could be suitable to move to the ballfield site after it is remediated of contaminants. 

Residents know all too well how the ugly head of politics can sour a debate. Taylor noted he has been consulting on the Raymark issues here going back to the Miron administration. “We started with the previous administration, then stopped,” he said. At that point in 2009, with a heated mayoral contest underway, Taylor said his work was put on hold until the political climate was less tense. 

“We tried to meet with Save Stratford in 2009 during the election … We set up several meetings but it just didn’t work.”

However, “since the summer and early fall” of 2010, Taylor noted, “we have been meeting regularly with town staff on what the reuse of the Raymark ballfield might be.” 

“What we will do tonight is to walk through that work, show options and get some input,” Taylor said. 

Richardson spoke next, explaining that “we didn’t reinvent the wheel. We understood the concerns and then put it in the context of a typical real estate site characteristic” study. 

“Our objectives were to understand the previous redevelopment efforts, to consider stakeholder input and to identify opportunities and constraints.” 

Richardson continued, “The ballfield is generally in a good location near I-95. But because it is near Frog Pond Lane and public works, we had to recognize that reuse would be impacted by trucks. 

“Both access and visibility play a big part in market analysis,” she said. There is limited visibility from Frog Pond Lane, which makes it less desirable for retail uses. 

“But what we did notice that being located along East Main Street the public works property is more valuable [from a commercial standpoint] than the ballfield” site. 

On the other hand, the ballfield property “being so close to the highway did give it some advantage for commercial, maybe a doctors’ office” complex or other similar clean commercial use that did not necessarily depend on roadside “visibility” to thrive. 

Another of the things that came out of the study was the ballfield land’s connection between Longbrook Avenue and East Main Street “to improve access to that area.” For instance, public works vehicles now must use Patterson Avenue, a residential zone, quite extensively due to the low railroad overpass on East Main Street. A connection from public works to Longbrook Avenue through the former metal plating factory site could eliminate that less than idea transportation situation.

Next, the consultants reviewed the ballfield parcel’s “size and characteristics.” She noted it has 14 acres, some industrial and some residential. Some of the acreage is constrained by “very steep topography.

“We did look at the Planning & Zoning and conservation and development” aspects that suggested potential recreational uses of the former ballfield site. “We did recognize that, and we did want to understand what some of the current and past preferences of the town has been” and what it may be going forward, Richardson pointed out. 

As far as the real estate market is concerned, “we are trying to get an understanding what the market is for that particular site,” she said. “We talked to developers in the region,” and Richardson noted that the presentation they were making on April 7 was based on findings “done a year ago. 

“However, we are comfortable that things have not changed that much,” she continued. “We have seen some turnaround in the economy so we are somewhat confident, although the markets remain fairly stagnant. 

“Stratford is not particularly competitive” in the Class A office market, and retail has reached saturation for the time being, she said, “although that could change in five years,” a nod to the fact that the actual remediation of the ballfield site is most likely at least five years down the road if not further. 

Light industrial uses, however, remain “strong and Stratford is a very friendly town for light industrial uses.” 

However, Richardson said that the light industry sector is dominated by “owner occupied” sites, “and not necessarily leased” sites, which is also affected by lease rates and interest rates.

Next on Monday in Stratford Patch: The conversation continues with key stakeholders, especially residents, and the issue of the town retaining control and ownership of the ballfield parcel is discussed.