Malloy says the planning process will be "informed by the community's thoughts on the appropriate use of the property."
Connecticut is establishing its first shoreline state park in 50 years.
Governor Dannel Malloy announced plans Tuesday to dedicate about 32 acres in Waterford known as "Seaside" as a state park. The state will terminate a contract to sell Seaside to a developer who won changes in zoning regulations and recently restricted his plans to luxury housing.
The structures currently on the site are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but the buildings are in disrepair. From an article in The Day of New London:
[DEEP Commissioner Robert] Klee said that if restoring the buildings is deemed infeasible, his department may decide to keep only parts of buildings, such as certain spires, standing so as to convey the spirit of the place.
Malloy said state officials have given the developer "more than enough time" to put his plans into effect. The state has reassessed the future of the property and will allow the public to enjoy the site.
Malloy said he is committed to working with the local community during the planning process. "I am directing DEEP to hold public hearings in Waterford," he said, "to ensure that the planning process is informed by the community’s thoughts on the appropriate use of the property." He is asking state agencies to conclude their review by January 1, 2015.
The state departments of Energy and Environmental Protection, Administrative Services, and the Office of Policy and Management will determine the costs of preserving historically significant property, removing what cannot be saved and designing and establishing facilities.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.