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.

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.

Phases 2 & 3 Under Construction

Construction of Phase 2 of Storrs Center is well underway along Wilbur Cross Way. This phase consists of six buildings. 

At the southern end of the street is the future home of Educational Playcare, which plans to open in late spring of 2015. Educational Playcare 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, or call 860.341.4116.

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 call 203.227.2922. Phase 2 is expected to be completed in August 2015.

The Oaks on the Square offers studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments.

Main Street Homes at Storrs Center, the residential neighborhood is now selling. If you are interested in learning more about the thirty-eight townhomes and single-level flats that will be built by LeylandAlliance, please contact Managing Broker Richard Marouski (860.933.2503) or Sales Associate Peter Millman (860.933.2944) of Weichert, Realtors® Four Corners Real Estate. Residents of the Main Street Homes at Storrs Center are expected to move into their new homes in 2016. 

For information on Main Street Homes at Storrs Center, click here.

Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center

Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center
23 Royce Circle
Photo: Paterson/Mansfield Downtown Partnership

The Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center is nearing completion. Construction began in the spring of 2013 on this intermodal transportation node that will serve as a bus and bicycle hub and information center.

While interior work is wrapping up, UConn and Windham Region Transit District (WRTD) buses are now stopping at the Nash-Zimmer to their routes. Peter Pan buses will add the Nash-Zimmer to their route this spring.

Among the planned features of the Nash-Zimmer transportation center will be racks, showers, lockers, and storage for bicycle commuters. Exterior bicycle racks are already in use by local cyclists.

A video wall with information about Storrs Center and surrounding cultural and recreational opportunities will be located inside the Center.

The Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center is named for Dennison Nash and Gary Zimmer, two longtime Mansfield residents who were strong advocates for alternative transportation.

For more information, please visit www.mansfieldct.gov/TransportationCenter.

And, be sure to follow the Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center on Twitter: @NashZimmer

The Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center is expected to open Spring 2014.
Photo: Paterson/Mansfield Downtown Partnership

Traffic Alert: Bolton Road Ext Open

Traffic Alert: New Traffic Pattern in Storrs Center
Bolton Road Ext Open to Vehicles; Wilbur Cross Way Temporarily Closed

The construction of Bolton Road Extension and Royce Circle in Storrs Center is now substantially complete, and these two streets are open to vehicles. Motorists wishing to head south on Storrs Road/Route 195 may now use the new, four-way, signalized intersection of Storrs Road and Bolton Road.

To accommodate on-going construction in Storrs Center, Wilbur Cross Way will be temporarily closed. This road will eventually be a two-way street connecting Royce Circle and Charles Smith Way (formerly referred to as the Post Office Road).

If you have any questions regarding this new traffic pattern and temporary road closure, please email StorrsCenterInfo@mansfieldct.org.

Entering the home stretch

Construction of One Royce Circle is nearing completion. The residents of The Oaks on the Square, whose apartments are on the upper four floors, are scheduled to move in in mid-August. On the first floor, each commercial tenant has a unique schedule, and the businesses will open as they are ready throughout the fall.

One Royce Circle

One Royce Circle, view from Storrs Road

One Royce Circle

One Royce Circle, southwest view

The streetscape enhancements of Storrs Road should be completed within the next two weeks. The new trees and landscaping create a more pleasing environment for pedestrians along Storrs Road.

Storrs Road sidewalk, in front of E. O. Smith High School

The paving of Bolton Road Extension and Royce Circle, which has started, will take place over the next few weeks. Bolton Road will connect with Bolton Road Extension to create the main, four-way, lighted intersection into Storrs Center. Traffic will be able to head north or south on Storrs Road from this intersection, and Bolton Road Extension and Royce Circle will form the remaining perimeters of the Town Square, the design of which is in progress.

The intersection of Storrs Road and Bolton Road will be the
main, four-way, lighted intersection into Storrs Center.

The form of the future Town Square is becoming visible.

Construction Progressing

The next building in Storrs Center, One Royce Circle, is nearing completion. The upper floors house The Oaks on the Square apartments, which are set to open for new residents in mid-August. Much of the interior work is focused on finishing these floors: installing appliances, painting, and completing building inspections.

One Royce Circle, as seen from Storrs Road/Route 195

Just as in the first phase of the project, the commercial spaces on the first floor of One Royce Circle all have their own schedules. These spaces will begin to open in August and continue through the end of the year. The tenants announced to date include: UConn Co-op @ Storrs Center, Ballard Institute & Museum of Puppetry, UConn Health Center, Haru Aki Café, and Webster Bank. The commercial space is approximately 90% leased with the remaining spaces under discussion.

Meanwhile, the completion of the streetscape improvements has been slowed somewhat by the wet weather. The painting and decorative concrete elements that remain require dryer conditions than the area has recently enjoyed.

The work on Bolton Road Extension and the completion of Royce Circle have proceeded apace. These two roads will be substantially completed prior to the opening of One Royce Circle.

Among the streetscape improvements to Storrs Road are wider sidewalks and new plantings.

Traffic Alert: Closure of Temporary Road

Please be advised that due to construction of Bolton Road Extension and the completion of Royce Circle, the temporary road connecting Dog Lane and Bolton Road will close beginning Tuesday, June 18.

Motorists wishing to turn from Dog Lane to travel south on Storrs Road (Route 195) will instead turn onto Royce Circle behind the Storrs Center parking garage and follow the newly constructed Wilbur Cross Way to Charles Smith Way (formerly referred to as “Post Office Road”). Vehicles will not be able to turn left onto Storrs Road from Dog Lane.

Northbound traffic turning right from Dog Lane onto Storrs Road will be unaffected by this change.

This traffic pattern will remain in effect while construction continues on Bolton Road Extension and Royce Circle.

Once complete, the intersection of Bolton Road Extension, Storrs Road, and Bolton Road will serve as the main, lighted intersection for Storrs Center. The new roads will complete the boundaries of the Town Square and will accommodate all traffic heading north and south on Storrs Road. Work is expected to be completed by the fall.

Southbound traffic will follow Royce Circle from Dog Lane to Charles Smith Way. 

Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center

Earlier this month, the Town of Mansfield oversaw the beginning of construction of the Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center planned in Storrs Center. Gregg Wies & Gardner Architects of New Haven designed the building, and the Town selected W. J. Mountford Company of South Windsor through a competitive bid process to construct the building. The Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center is expected to open in the fall of 2013.

The Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center will be a key feature in Storrs Center with its convenient location adjacent to the Storrs Center parking garage. It will be a central stop for local, regional, and intrastate buses, including WRTD and UConn buses. Bus patrons will be able to track bus locations through an integrated technology system and wait for their bus either inside or outside the facility.

The Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center will also offer amenities for bicyclists, whether casual riders or commuters. There will be bike lockers for storage, and commuters will be able to sign up to use showers and changing rooms.

Funding for the Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center is provided by a $4.9 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The Greater Hartford Transit District is administering the grant.

The Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center is named for Dennison Nash and Gary Zimmer, two longtime Mansfield residents who were strong advocates for alternative transportation.

On the road again

With the arrival of warmer spring weather, the Town resumed work on its streetscape improvements on Storrs Road (Route 195) and Dog Lane.

In April, the Town’s contractor, Milton C. Beebe & Sons Construction of Mansfield, installed new crosswalks on Dog Lane.

New crosswalks have been installed on Dog Lane.

Beebe is currently adding medians in Storrs Road. In addition to beautifying the street, the medians will serve as a traffic-calming measure on this busy section of road.

The construction of medians in Storrs Road is underway.

Once the final physical changes to Storrs Road are complete, Beebe will repave the road from the intersection with Dog Lane to the intersection with South Eagleville Road (Route 275).  As part of the repaving of Storrs Road, Beebe will mark the new on-street areas, which will be free parking for 2 hours.

 

Another traffic calming measure, which will also serve to beautify the area, will be new street trees along Storrs Road. These will be planted in the coming months. There will be trees every fifty feet along the road, in between the street lights.

The trees will be intersperse with the street lights.

Plantings are also planned for along the new stone wall in front of E. O. Smith High School.

The stone wall runs along the front of E. O. Smith High School.

Construction of One Royce Circle continues; the building is expected to be ready for residents of The Oaks on the Square in August 2013. The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry recently announced its plans to move into this new building. The Ballard will join the UConn Co-op (a new, additional location), Haru Aki Café, UConn Health Center medical offices, and Webster Bank in the second phase of Storrs Center.

One Royce Circle construction continues with a goal of opening to residents in August.

Signs of Spring in Storrs Center

While there is still some snow on the ground, and temperatures have not warmed up quite yet, spring has arrived in Storrs Center!

Construction of One Royce Circle continues with the majority of work on the interior spaces, both the commercial spaces on the first floor and the residential units on the upper floors. Leasing of the apartments, part of The Oaks on the Square, is well underway.

One Royce Circle

The construction of Wilbur Cross Way (formerly referred to as "Village Street") continues. Work will resume on Storrs Road in the coming weeks as the weather improves; the work remaining includes paving and landscaping.  

Meanwhile, the businesses that are open in One, Nine, and Eleven Dog Lane are enjoying the first hints of nice weather.

Moe's Southwest Grill is prepping their outdoor dining area at 1 Dog Lane.
Several restaurants will have outdoor dining available as the weather improves.

It always feels like spring when one steps inside The Flower Pot,
where they are ready to help everyone add some color to their home or workplace.

Working through the winter

The current focus of construction of One Royce Circle is on the interior while exterior work continues as weather permits.  One Royce Circle will face the Town Square and will feature commercial uses on the first floor and residential apartments on the upper floors.  This building is expected to open in August 2013.

One Royce Circle

An artist's rendering of One Royce Circle as seen from the future Town Square.

Work has begun on the south end of the project with demolition of three small buildings and site preparation for the construction of a grocery store.

Prepping the site along Storrs Road

Phases 1A and 1B are seen at left on this concept plan of Storrs Center. The future site of the grocery store is shown in green at right.  Wilbur Cross Way (formerly referred to as "Village Street") is currently under construction.
{Click to enlarge the image.}

Open for Business!

One Dog Lane - Fully occupied and open for business!

Moe's Southwest Grill, 7-Eleven, Froyoworld, and Dog Lane Cafe face Storrs Road in One Dog Lane.

Dog Lane Cafe wraps around One Dog Lane to meet Subway, Insomnia Cookies, 

and Mooyah Burgers & Fries.

Nine Dog Lane is the home of The Oaks on the Square leasing office and many businesses:

The Flower Pot

Body Language

Travel Planners

Skora's Barber Styling Shop

Bank of America ATM

Sweet Emotions Candy Shop

Select Physical Therapy

and

Husky Pizza

Storrs Automotive is located in 11 Dog Lane, 

just around the corner from Husky Pizza.

Meanwhile, construction of the next phase of Storrs Center - One Royce Circle - is well underway.

One Royce Circle is expected to open in August 2013.