Torrington officials celebrate new parking lot, Riverview trail section

As reported and published in the Waterbury Republican-American.

TORRINGTON – The Riverview parking lot, which features a 10-foot stretch of the Sue Grossman Still River Greenway overlooking the Naugatuck River, is complete.

The lot sits at 10 Litchfield St., behind Torrington Library.

Standing at the edge of the trail in the chilly breeze, city and state officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday to officially open the lot, which got a makeover from May through early November of last year, public works Director Ray Drew said.

The $900,000 project, which included installation of granite curbing, new asphalt paving, new street lighting, landscaping and building the section of trail, was funded through a $375,000 Community Connectivity Grant from the state Department of Transportation and the city’s pavement management bond fund.

Speaking just before the ribbon was cut, Mayor Elinor C. Carbone said library patrons want to know they are going somewhere safe and convenient to the center of the city, and ensuring that was part of the design.

The mayor pointed to the Sophia building, which is behind the lot, on the opposite side of the river at 11 Main St. Developer Vincent Cappelletti of Torrington Downtown Development Corp. has been renovating the historic building for about a year. His project will bring 17 new apartment rentals and four upgraded commercial spaces to the city. Cappelletti watched the progress of the parking lot, Carbone said, noting investments such as his result from how the city spends its tax dollars.

“He was calling my office practically on a daily basis, coming in on a daily basis, telling me that from those decks, the newly built decks in the back of the building, he just couldn’t get over how beautiful it was,” she said. “The view of the river, the view of this, knowing that the trail was here, really made it easier for him to make a decision to make that investment.”

The renovations at the Sophia building are being funded by a $1.5 million state Department of Community and Economic Development grant and more than $350,000 of Cappelletti’s money, he has said.

The mayor thanked DOT Commissioner Garrett T. Eucalitto, who also spoke at the ceremony. Eucalitto, who grew up in Torrington and frequently walked up and down Main and South Main streets in his day, said it looks different now.

“We turned our backs to (the Naugatuck River) in the early 1900s, so it’s great to see Torrington reorienting itself back to the river,” he said.

From DOT’s perspective, the Community Connectivity Grant Program was devised for projects such as Riverview, bridging trails to longer trails running through the state and connecting to areas, such as downtown Torrington, where people can shop and eat, Eucalitto said.

“It provides gap financing for projects the city might not be able to do on its own that improve quality of life in the community and provide connections,” he said “The (Sue Grossman) Still River Greenway connects all the way up to Winsted and then the Naugatuck River Greenway will go all the way down to Derby. That’s the vision of the state.”

Eucalitto said DOT has given Torrington preliminary approval for some federal funds to put in an additional phase of the Still River Greenway to extend it south from Harris Road.

“You have to start with segments, build where you can and that’s our approach,” he said. “Let’s fund what we can where we can with the goal of connecting everything.”

Torrington Library Director Jessica Gueniat said the new parking lot is welcoming and inviting to library patrons and local business customers.

“We absolutely love the parking lot. It has definitely brought a sense of revitalization, a sense of safety. It looks better,” she said. “That was always our biggest struggle with this lot. While it was maintained, it didn’t necessarily give a welcoming vibe.”

The effort has even spurred her to look at the library’s exterior, and the possibility of adding plantings and new signs. She said other business neighbors have said much the same. She also noted the trail will be a boon for children who visit the library because they now will be able to safely walk up and down the path, ride scooters and read library books while sitting near the river.

“It’s very complementary of everything that’s going on downtown,” Gueniat said. “So we’re very excited.”