Raise the Roof

The Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation Pavilion on the Mansfield Town Square

The roof is now in place for the Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation Pavilion! The Mansfield Downtown Partnership looks forward to the many concerts and performances that will take place under the red canopy in the future.

The Town Square is now nearly complete. There is some electrical work remaining, but the Town Square is now open for the public to enjoy!

Town Square: Finishing Touches - Part II

The stage roof of the Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation Pavilion is taking shape.

Work on the Town Square is progressing with the installation of the trellises, light pylons, and the main structure of the stage roof. The above photo shows two lights flanking the stage. The main support structure is in place, and the roof will be installed in the coming days.

Lights are being installed around the perimeter of the lawn.

The pylons feature perforations to allow light to diffuse from within the columns. They are now positioned around the perimeter of the lawn.

Trellises have been added to the landscaping on both sides of the stage.

Groups of trellises have been installed on both sides of the landscaped areas flanking the stage. These pieces serve both a decorative and a functional purpose. The trellises add height to the landscaped areas, and their red panels echo the red roof of the stage. Red trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) have been planted at their bases and will soon be climbing each trellis.

Weaving Shuttle

Weaving Shuttle by David Boyajian

Another piece of the Town Square is in! This sculpture was created by David Boyajian, a Connecticut artist. The weaving shuttle and thread represents Mansfield's history as the home of the first silk mill in North America. The mill was built around 1810 on nearby Hanks Hill.

Fun fact: Tift (or Sullivan's) Pond in the Town's Albert E. Moss Sanctuary was created as an auxiliary source of water for the mill sometime between 1846-1866.

Read more about Mansfield's silk industry here on the Mansfield Historical Society's website.

For a trail guide of the Moss Sanctuary, click here.

Town Square: Finishing Touches

The Mansfield Town Square

The Mansfield Downtown Partnership and the Town of Mansfield are coordinating the installation of the final pieces of the new Town Square in Storrs Center.

A temporary fence has been installed around the portion of the Town Square in which workers will be adding lights, trellises, and the stage roof. This work is expected to be completed by May 1.

The stage roof will look similar to the above illustration.

The stage roof will complete the Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation Pavilion, located in the southwest corner of the Town Square (near the intersection of Royce Circle and Bolton Road Ext.). When not in use as a stage, the roof will provide shade to the steps and walkway.

The stage will become a focal point of the Town Square, with events such as the Celebrate Mansfield Festival centered around it.

Humming House performed at the 2014 Celebrate Mansfield Festival under a tent.
For the 2015 Festival, the stage roof will be in place.

Additional elements in the works are trellises for the landscaped areas flanking the stage. These sculptural elements will complement the red roof of the stage with red, decorative panels.

Lights will be installed around the lawn disc, adding another sculptural element while providing additional lighting to the center of the Town Square.

Sun before the snow

One building in Phase 2 has frontage on Storrs Road

Before the snow came last week, construction on Phase 2 continued under bright blue skies. Five of the buildings in Phase 2 will feature commercial space on the first floors with rental apartments on the upper floors. (The construction continues despite the snow although the weather is no friend to photographers.)

Leasing of the approximately 34,000 sq ft in Phase 2 is already underway. If you are interested in leasing commercial space, please contact Dan Zelson at Charter Realty and Development.

Five of the buildings in Phase 2 will feature commercial uses on the first floor with apartments above.

The apartments will be part of The Oaks on the Square, which also includes the apartments in Phase 1. Leasing of all Oaks apartments for the next lease term has begun. If you are interested in renting an apartment in Storrs Center, please visit their website, theoaksonthesquare.com.

Phase 2 includes the buildings shown in gray and bright green.

Phase 2 will also include one single-use building, shown in bright green in the above photo. This building will be home to Educational Playcare. A family-owned and -operated day care center serving children from infants to age 5, Educational Playcare will be a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

The final phase of Storrs Center (Phase 3) will be the Main Street Homes at Storrs Center. This neighborhood will feature 38 townhomes and single-living flats with varying floorplans and amenities. For a look at the different options and for sale information, please visit storrscenter.com.

Artist's rendering of a Storrs I townhome.

Residents of the Main Street Homes at Storrs Center will be able to walk to the many shops and restaurants in Downtown Storrs, the Storrs Farmers Market, the Mansfield Community Center, and the Price Chopper grocery store. The many and varied cultural, academic, and athletic offerings of UConn are within an easy walking or biking distance, as are several outdoor recreational options, including Town of Mansfield hiking trails and bike path. At the Town's nearby Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center, residents can access three bus lines, including Peter Pan which offers easy, car-free travel to Providence, New York, and Boston.

Artist's rendering of the interior of a Mansfield town home.

If you are interesting in purchasing a home, please contact Managing Broker Richard Marouski (860.933.2503) or Sales Associate Peter Millman (860.933.2944) of Weichert, Realtors® Four Corners Real Estate.

Working in a winter wonderland

Phase 2 - Wilbur Cross Way

Construction of Phase 2 of Storrs Center continues with a goal of opening in August 2015. Phase 2 consists consists of six buildings.

At the southern end of the street is the future home of Educational Playcare, which will offer daycare services for infants through children age 5. If you are interested in learning more about their services, please visit their website, educationalplaycare.com.

The other five buildings that comprise Phase 2 will be mixed-use buildings similar to those in the Town Square neighborhood with both commercial space and residential units. The Oaks on the Square will open an additional 204 apartments in this phase, and there will be 34,000 square feet of commercial space available for lease.

If you are interested in living in The Oaks on the Square, please visit their website, theoaksonthesquare.com, or call the leasing office, 860.756.0330.

If you are interested in leasing commercial space in Phase 2, please contact Dan Zelson of Charter Realty, chartweb.com or 203.227.2922.