The former Ames headquarters in Rocky Hill went from a bustling office building with hundreds of workers to a sad, abandoned hulk over two decades.
Now, after years of planning and negotiation, officials voted in February to approve a mixed-use development proposed by Hamden developer Michael Belfonti for the 12.1-acre property.
The plan is to knock down the roughly 225,000-square-foot building and replace it with 213 apartments in 11 buildings, 11,067 square feet of office space and 9,959 square feet of retail.
The Rocky Hill Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday is expected to discuss a site plan proposal to redevelop the long-vacant Ames corporate office on Main Street.
This represents the second site plan submitted to the town by Hamden-based developer Belfonti Cos. LLC.
The first plan was rejected by the commission about two months ago, but changes have been made to the overall project design, including the addition of more public gathering space, according to Raymond Carpentino, Rocky Hill’s economic development director.
The state Bond Commission awarded the town of Rocky Hill $500,000 to help revitalize the former Ames headquarters site and transform it into what town officials hope becomes a town center village with a mix of housing and shops.