Taftville commercial building renovation plan approved

Mixed-use development OK’d for Ponemah Mill

Norwich — Work could begin soon on a major renovation of the commercial building at 3-9 North Second Ave. in Taftville after the Commission on the City Plan approved the project late Tuesday.

The brick building, once an integral part of the 19th and early 20th century Taftville Ponemah Mill village, will be connected with the mill once again. The 1895 building had housed the company store, which sold groceries and other goods to mill workers, and a social gathering space upstairs, where dances, meetings and even church services for a time were held, according to City Historian Dale Plummer.

The building was purchased in March for $170,000 by current Ponemah Mill developer OneKey LLC under the name Taftville Landing LLC. The owner received site development plan approval late Tuesday from the Commission on the City Plan for a mixed-use development that includes 12 apartments, retail space and a proposed restaurant and pub.

The building has four stories on the rear side facing Norwich Avenue directly across from the Ponemah Mill, and three stories on the North Second Avenue side. The renovation plan calls for up to four retail spaces on the ground level, three on the main first floor on North Second Av-

enue and six apartments each on the second and third floors above that level.

“Now that it’s approved, construction should start fairly quickly,” OneKey spokesman Louis Kaufman said.

The right corner of the lower level on the Norwich Avenue side could house the second Pub 45, a Jewett City bar and grill owned by 45th District state Rep. Kevin Skulczyck, R-Griswold. Skulczyck said last week he is excited about opening his second location in Taftville. He said the pub would have a full kitchen with a larger menu than his Jewett City pub, and he hopes for some outside seating. He also is considering partnering with a coffee shop to create an outdoor café with 50 to 75 seats.

OneKey Director of Operations Finbar O’Neill also said last week that a tech company might take one space and he hopes to bring in a grocery store, pharmacy and perhaps a sandwich shop to the building.

Hair Do’s hair salon at 9 N. Second Ave. plans to stay in the building.

The Luis Pabon Dance Arts Center has occupied the second floor in the building for many years. O’Neill said the studio could stay as long as possible before construction on the apartments begins. He said the studio might be able to relocate to another space in one of the other Taftville buildings owned by OneKey.

Representatives from the dance studio did not return a phone call Thursday.