Reinventing Norwich Harbor (May 2013)

44 • MAY 2013

City sets sights on $5.4 million waterfront vision

By Lisa Miceli Feliciano Photos by Eric Tetreault

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norwichmag.com • 45

City o�cials and supporters are moving forward with a long-awaited plan to revitalize Norwich Harbor and the surrounding waterfront as a desirable destination for locals and tourists. �e goal of the $5.4 million development plan is to bolster recreational activity and economic

growth in the harbor area, which was once a bustling commer-cial and travel port.

�e three-pronged project includes building a new, regional boat launch on the waterfront o� of Shipping Street, making improvements at Howard T. Brown Memorial Park to encour-age pedestrian, bicycle and small boat activity, and adding pedes-trian and �shing access along the east river at New Wharf Road.

�e �rst step is the new boat launch o� of Shipping Street, on Terminal Way. �e 36-acre parcel, o�cials say, has key elements including ample space, easy access and plenty of parking – all of which are missing at the current launch location o� of Chelsea Harbor Drive. �e proposed location meets the objectives of city planners to create a multi-lane launch ramp, improved trailer turning radius, a boarding dock and parking for as many as 50 vehicles and trailers and potential for enclosed storage for city-owned boats.

�ere is also space at the Shipping Street site where the city envisions mixed-use opportunities for retail and residential

development in the future.At the center of the plan to draw more people for outdoor

activities such as walking, biking and kayaking is Brown Park, where the current boat launch is located. �e park and nearby Marina at American Wharf already draw crowds in the warmer months – the park with its public access to the water and the marina with its restaurant, events and new ice cream shop.

�e city envisions the waterfront park as a premier gather-ing place renovated to accommodate visiting boaters and locals wanting to put kayaks and other small paddle boats into the �ames River. �e existing town launch there would be retro�t-ted to accommodate those smaller vessels. �e plan also includes adding a boardwalk at Brown Park.

�e area along the east of the river, o� of New Wharf Road, would undergo pedestrian, cyclist and �shing friendly improve-ments in tune with the city’s Heritage Walkway. �ere could also be pedestrian bridge linking Brown Park with the new wharf area.

According to Mayor Peter Nystrom, the harborfront plan is a multifaceted project that is centered on beauti�cation and pub-lic access. �e new boat launch, he said, is a “critical component” to drawing visitors to Norwich’s waterfront.

Nystrom says building the visitor-friendly facilities will draw business, too.


46 • MAY 2013

“�e more people that you have com-ing to the city expands opportunities for those kinds of retail markets to grow. Businesses will follow the people; that’s always been the case,” Nystrom said. With solid pieces in place, including Brown Park, the Marina at American Wharf and the “hotbed” of �shing, Nystrom said, “I think people are reawakening to the access that is there.”

Nystrom compared the potential of the Norwich project to that of Hartford’s Riverfront Recapture, although he said reinventing Norwich’s waterfront would not include the $25 million price tag Hartford’s plan is estimated to cost.

“�at was a very expensive proposi-tion. It works, but this should be a time of �scal austerity and if we can come up with other remedies that aren’t as expensive, we should look at those �rst,” Nystrom said.

�e city is counting on a partnership with state and federal agencies to fund the harbor improvements, and city of-�cials have been meeting with representa-

tives from those various agencies to pitch the plan.

Currently, an environmental site assess-ment is underway at the Shipping Street property, which is a former industrial area. Results of the assessment are expect-ed in about six months. �e assessment is an important step in moving forward with securing state and federal support.

“Once we have those tests, we’ll have a better handle on speci�cally what we are asking the state and federal agencies for,” said Jason Vincent, vice president of Norwich Community Development Corp. NCDC is a local partner in the development e�ort.

Norwich Harbor, then and now

A rich history ripples through Norwich Harbor. From the time of the Revolution-ary War to the Civil War, the harbor was a bustling hub of clipper ship commerce, shipbuilding and wartime supply. �e 19th century brought shipping and

steamship activity with Norwich as a regular stop between New York and Boston. �e textile mills boomed with the maritime industry’s decline, and then died post-World War II, but before that, Norwich’s waterfront was industrial, not recreational.

Few towns are fortunate enough to have a scenic harbor as a centerpiece. Ten miles of waterfront along the �ames, Yantic and Shetucket rivers provide for abundant �shing and boating opportu-nities. �e city hopes to add to existing walking trails, promote biking and draw visitors to the downtown area through development and expansion with a nod to historical integrity. �e goal is to add Norwich to the list of popular Eastern Connecticut tourist destinations, such as the casinos and Mystic. Experts also acknowledge that the abundance of �sh species, from bass and blues to shad, re�ect the harbor’s healthy eco-system. �ere are even a couple of harbor seals.

“I think that there are probably hundreds of thousands of communities

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The Marina at American Wharf. Right, �reworks over the harbor.



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48 • MAY 2013

around the country that would love to have what this com-munity has in a harbor at the doorstep of downtown,” said Norwich Community Development Corporation President Bob Mills. Mills said that Norwich Harbor’s uniqueness is de�ned in part by the fact it’s a basin, not just a river than runs through the city. Norwich wraps around its harbor; it’s inescapable in that you must drive around, up and through the downtown. “You have an opportunity to experience (downtown) from all sides of the land. If we work it right, it’s an opportunity for us to capture people to participate in downtown and merchant activities,” Mills said.

Charting a course for support�e origins of the waterfront vision go back to the

city’s Harbor Management Plan approved by the state and adopted by the city council in 1996. Since then, the city has examined 17 di�erent possible locations for a new boat launch. In 2011, the Norwich Harbor Management Com-mission adopted a revised “vision” for the waterfront.

A site assessment with a conceptual design for the boat launch and other waterfront district locations was com-pleted in the fall.

To build support for the work, the city is making an e�ort to get people to tour the waterfront on land and by boat and talk to about it, says Mills.

When the Amistad docked in Norwich for the forging of the Freedom Bell in June 2012, several state and federal dignitaries visited the Rose City, including Connecticut De-partment of Economic & Community Development Deputy Commissioner Christopher “Kip” Bergstrom, Gov. Dannel Malloy and Gail Adams, the director of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s O�ce of Intergovermental and External A�airs. Mayor Nystrom gave Adams a tour of the city, from downtown and the harbor to Mohegan Park and Uncas Leap. In October 2012, city leaders discussed their harbor plans with representatives from the state’s Inland Fisheries Division and the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Com-merce. Nystrom hopes to continue to involve the Inland Fisheries folks with the plan. Harbor Commission Chairman John Paul Mereen and City Councilor Charlie Jaskiewicz –a member of the commission – said the federal Department of the Interior is also a valuable resource in terms of locating grant funding and partnerships opportunities.

Geo�rey Steadman, a planning consultant working with the harbor commission, says that two grants from the L.I. Sound Futures Fund were recently awarded to the city. A $9,600 grant went toward three information panels at How-ard T. Brown Park. �e panels, which are already installed, include information about �sh species living in the harbor, the historic waterfront and watershed. A $9,000 grant will fund canoe and kayak trail development and waterproof maps. �e maps and an additional information panel are expected to be unveiled this fall. Steadman, Mereen and

Clockwise, from top: One of the information panels recently installed at Norwich Harbor; Marina at American Wharf in the o� season; City Councilor Charlie Jasckiewicz; a sign for boaters; a map marking key places near the Norwich waterfront (graphic courtesy NCDC).

UNCAS LEAP

DOWNTOWN

RIVERWALK

MOHEGAN SUN

MontvilleNorwich

Preston

THAMES RIVER

GREENVILLE



Vincent met with the Connecticut Maritime Commission in March. Steadman says they were “very receptive” to the boat launch plans, o�ering to write a letter of support and provide direction and guidance going forward.

Banking on boatersDesign and construction of the new boat launch is estimated

to cost $3.5 million. Mills, of NCDC, said safety is an impor-tant issue when designing the launch, keeping in mind that pedestrians and cyclists will also use the area.

“When you do waterfront work, it’s on the order of two-to-three more times more expensive than pure land-based activity. A lot more expensive to infrastructure, to install and then you have environmental as well,” said Mills.

In November 2012, the city approved $22,000 for the envi-ronmental testing at the Shipping Street property.

�e Shipping Street location is lacking appropriate utility infrastructure. Mills estimates another $5 million investment needed (on top of the plan’s $5.4 million) to improve electric, gas, water and sewer service there.

“Norwich Public Utilities has a vested interest very early on knowing what their planning needs are to accommodate new development, retail shops, commercial activity and even hous-ing. �at’s going to change (the harbor commission’s) timeline and budget,” says Mereen. “�ere are certain regulations that need to be followed and anything that has anything to do with coastal waterways, there are necessary permits from the


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The marina manager and harbormasterHarbormaster and Marina at American Wharf Manager Mike Valentine is part of the “boomerang generation.” He came back to Norwich. The Marina gave him summer work during high school and college. The University of Hartford alum spent a year in California before returning in 2006 full-time, staying on with the Marina’s transfer to Joyal Capital Management Properties in 2011. He was appointed Harbormaster by the city in December. With 165 boat slips, his busiest time is April through October. The dockside restaurant is open then as is the marina-owned Erickson’s Ice Cream. The marina puts up a large, white event tent on its lawn each summer for weddings and other special events that take place there. There’s also shuttle service to Mohegan Sun, plus a pool, bathrooms and showers for marina customers.

Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection to make sure that any endangered plant species aren’t harmed.”

�ere have been no issues with emi-nent domain to date," said Mereen. He added that property owners have been willing to talk to the city about moving the boat launch to the industrial area. He hopes to cultivate a public-private partnership between the city, state and property owners to get the new launch done.

While moving the launch away from downtown could spur economic development and tourist interest to the Shipping Street area, some are concerned with pulling boaters and visitors from the current location.

�ayer’s Marine operates a thriving boating and �shing business across the street from the marina. Owners Rich �ayer and son, Richie �ayer, support the idea that Norwich Harbor has a lot of potential, but they would like to see the new development closer to downtown.

“You’re not revitalizing the down-town area by moving one of its largest draws. If they want to �x it, move it someplace downtown. You’re chang-ing the whole dynamic of the river and the way it works,” said Richie �ayer.

Instead of a move to Shipping Street, the elder Rich �ayer advocates upgrading the existing boat launch to “make it �t.” He’d rather see more retail �rst, adding, “You go to Mystic, you go to shops. You’ve got to give

them a reason to come (to Norwich). It’s not just �shing that goes along with it.”

�e Marina at American Wharf is currently the centerpiece of the harbor, along with adjacent Brown Park. Busi-ness at the marina docks during the 2012 season saw a huge upswing, from about 60 boat customers to 90. Mike Valentine is the manager of the Joyal Capital Management-owned marina. He was also appointed harbormaster late last year.

“I’d love to see the downtown area vibrant again. �e harbor is a big part of that,” said Valentine.

�e boat launch relocation “would move some vessels further down river, but they still have access to the water here and it also opens the door for another stream of (people). Maybe you’ll get more strolling tra�c, canoes . . . it’s all accessible.”

�e proposed beauti�cation for the east side of the river with plants, trees and fencing to shield the scrap processing plant from view on the water could also draw more business the marina’s way. Mills credits the �ay-ers of �ayer’s Marine with helping with the conception of re�nements to the �shing walkway in the New Wharf Road area but pointed out that the best �shing is accessible only by boat.

Jaskiewicz, a strong proponent of turning Norwich into a sport �shing destination, gave kudos to NPU for helping to maintain the harbor’s eco system.



system. “NPU has not been given the credit

that they deserve to help build �sh spe-cies in the river,” said Jaskiewicz.

NPU’s work with the DEEP and installation of the �sh li�s and ladders at both the Greeneville and Occum dams have helped restore the shad population to the Shetucket River.

Row, row, row your boat

Mereen acknowledges that the harbor development project will take several years to complete. Jaskiewicz feels that Norwich Harbor’s future success is dependent upon jumpstarting marketing e�orts, getting Norwich on Malloy’s ra-dar as a recreational tourism destination – despite state tourism cutbacks – and working with federal and state agencies to make sure demand doesn’t deplete the plethora of existing �sh.

Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce President and Chief Ex-ecutive O�cer Ben Lathrop said it’s an exciting time for Norwich and Norwich Harbor.

“�ere’s talk and action now because there are people in place to push it for-ward,” he said.

Mills remarked that, throughout his-tory, as trucks replaced ships, the value of the harbor to the community was lost.

“�e (harbor commission) and the city really need to be commended for recognizing that we need to re-orient ourselves. It’s ambitious and it’s expen-sive, but it’s really a continuation of re-orienting ourselves back to the valuable assets that really made the community appear on the face of the earth in the �rst place,” said Mills.

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Reinventing Norwich Harbor (May 2013)