Perillo Unites Shelton Businesses to Demand Downtown Improvements

“We want to be proactive. When we see something, we fix something,” said Mat Calandro, owner of Calaroso. “To get this done, we felt that there is strength in unity.”

Calandro said many people have invested millions of dollars in the downtown area.

“There has been a renaissance downtown, and we have all enjoyed success thanks to that,” he said. “But there is always room for improvement, and we would like to know what our elected officials are doing to match the private sector’s investment and effort.”

Jason Shepard is the executive chef at Tacomida, which is owned by Hartin Ballabani, who also owns Chaplin. He said he grew up in Shelton, so the issue hits close to home for him.

“It is important for restaurants, the city and the community to come together, to unify to make downtown a destination,” Shepard said. “We have some awesome restaurants here already. We want to make sure people continue to come here and patronize all of us. Solving these issues will help to do that.”

Some of the requests, Calandro said, are striping the parking spaces along Howe Avenue and Center Street — a move the owners say could even help add multiple spaces — and the post office parking lot. The owners also want garbage cans placed on the sidewalks and better lighting along the roadways.

“There needs to be more of an effort from the city to enhance the downtown experience,” Calandro said. “Some flowers, garbage and litter control, seasonal decorations and better lighting would go a long way. These are things that can be done that cost next to nothing.”

Frank Capece, Jr., grew up in Shelton and his family has owned Cuppy’s Café, a staple on Coram Ave., for nearly four decades.

He says he has watched as the downtown has evolved, from its lowest point to the revitalization that has taken place over the past few years. And while the downtown has enjoyed major investment and significant growth, he agrees that the area needs better lighting and more parking.

“We all have different interests,” Capece said, “but I agree that coming together to get these things done is a good thing.”

One must, they say, is placing garbage cans downtown. The hope is that the cans would help reduce the litter that owners are regularly spending time cleaning up.

“We’re tired of being told ‘we’re working on it.’ These are basic asks,” Calandro said. “And if they can’t, we understand but we need to know why so we can help. We are tired of talk … we want to hear what the city is doing and when are they are doing it. Why are we still talking about these obvious enhancements?”

These owners have worked together in the past, but Calandro said their efforts during the recent disruption to their businesses from the Eversource pipeline project showed them they are better working as a team rather than individually.

“In less than six weeks, with the help of the Shelton Police Department and state Rep. Jason Perillo, we were able to significantly improve the logistics of the Eversource project,” Calandro said.

Perillo was able to get the DOT to push the start time of the Eversource project up an hour (from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.) and local police have worked to keep a busy road moving while crews were working.

Calandro said Perillo is also working with Greater Bridgeport Transit to re-route some buses and add covered bus stops — which will free up some parking spaces and enhance the curb appeal.

After requests from the newly formed group, Shelton police have increased patrols.

“They are also aggressively taking measures to improve the downtown traffic situation, from speeding to double parking,” Calandro said.

Shelton Police Chief Shawn Sequeira said the department has added more officers downtown on Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays as well as other specific days as needed.

These officers, according to Sequeira, monitor downtown and interact with the local businesses and community for “omnipresence, visibility and close community contact.”

Sequeira said the department has received positive feedback.

“Our goal is the public’s safety downtown by preventing any crime or harm to individuals,” he said. “Community risk reduction is the focus as we build our relationship to all residences downtown and all entering downtown to enjoy the attractions.”

John Anglace Jr., president of the city’s Board of Aldermen, said the group’s concerns were mostly administrative. He added that the board would consider providing funding to address some of their concerns.

Anglace said Alderman Eric McPherson had researched the issue of parallel parking space painting and had obtained conditional state permission to proceed.

“It is a matter of priority. Street paving comes first but we are hopeful that the post office lot will be done,” he said.

Anglace said the parking lot painting was “an excellent example of how the downtown business association can relate its priorities to the city for consideration.”