Norwich parcels sold for proposed Burger King

Norwich — Three vacant houses on Town Street were sold as one parcel for a combined total of $650,000 for a proposed development into a Burger King restaurant with a drive-through lane, Lyman Real Estate officials announced Tuesday.

The three parcels, 61, 63 and 65 Town St., sold to Allstate BK Real Estate Holdings Ltd. comprise a total of 0.71 acres of land, and the rear of the land abuts the southerly portion of the historic colonial era cemetery. The Norwichtown Historic District, the original 1659 settlement area of Norwich with numerous 17th, 18th and 19th century homes, is a short distance from the property.

The three houses were built in 1925, 1928 and 1930, according to city tax records, and ranged in appraised value from $103,000 to $108,000. They are not located in the historic district.

Project attorney William Sweeney of the New London firm TCORS said the plan is to combine the three parcels into one lot. They were sold as one lot by former owner Jay Furlong. The cemetery to the rear is several feet lower than the land where the three houses sit. Although the historic district does not include the cemetery, Sweeney said the developer plans to add “some heavy screening and buffer” between the property and the cemetery.

Despite proximity to the historic district, the Town Street area surrounding the three houses is dominated by dense commercial development, including Norwichtown Commons plaza, United Community and Family Services health center, three banks, a pizza restaurant directly across the street and a McDonald’s restaurant.

The original proposal for the McDonald’s in the 1960s sparked outrage from historic preservationists and led to the creation of the historic district.

The City Council, which also is the zoning commission in Norwich, on Aug. 7 approved a zoning text amendment for the proposed Burger King that allows drive-through services in the current neighborhood commercial zone.

At the council meeting, Alderwoman Joanne Philbrick, who lives on Elm Avenue in the Norwichtown Historic District, objected to the proposed development abutting the historic cemetery. She said visitors taking historic walking tours through the cemetery and along streets where colonial era homes will walk past the new Burger King.

Alderwoman Stacy Gould pointed out that the three banks and the McDonalds have drive-through lanes and the project would “get rid of” three vacant “ugly” houses on the street. Gould and other aldermen welcomed proposed commercial development. The council approved the zoning amendment 6-1.