Town Meeting Approves Sale of Gales Ferry Parcel

Residents crowded into the town hall annex Wednesday night and overwhelmingly approved the sale of a portion of the former Gales Ferry School property to G.B New England 2, LLC, which has a contract to build a CVS pharmacy at the corner of Hurbutt Road and Route 12.

The sale includes 1.89 acres at the front of the 5.2-acre school property, for which the town will receive $625,000.  The sale does not include the former school building.

During a public hearing that preceded the vote, Kevin Dombrowski of the Economic Development Commission displayed a map of the property, and also a rendering of the CVS design proposed for the site. He said it would be similar to “colonial-styled” CVS stores in East Lyme and Old Saybrook.

The vote to sell the property starts a period of due diligence by the developer, and also a process of regulatory approval.

Planning Commission Chairman Michael Cherry, who also is a member of the EDC, said the developer would like to break ground this year. “If we can get something going here, perhaps we can get the guy across the street to do something with his property,” he said, referring to Ocean State Job Lot.

Indeed, during the hearing several residents and council members expressed frustration with the condition of the Ocean State Job Lot shopping center and parking lot. Most who spoke in favor of the sale agreed that the CVS is an important step in the right direction.

Former council member John Rodolico noted several recent commercial developments on the west side of Route 12. “As you look west, we don’t look so bad. As you look east, we don’t look so good,” he said.

But even as other towns are marked by vacant storefronts, Rodolico said the prospect of a new pharmacy bodes well for Ledyard. “Good development attracts good development,” he said. 

Alice’s Acres owner Pete Bargmann spoke at length about what he saw as a missed opportunity to establish a right-of-way to commercial land he owns behind the school property. He was assured by Cherry that no part of the land being sold abuts his property.

The vote was nearly unanimous, with one resident, Bill Burling, opposing the sale. Burling asked whether the town has an “exit strategy” in the event the CVS fails to come to fruition, as happened earlier with a Rite Aid proposed for the site.

“The exit strategy is to have a CVS on the corner of Hurlbutt Road,” Cherry said.

Town councilor Bill Saums commended members of the Economic Development Commission for successfully negotiating the deal. “They never gave up,” he said.