Norwalk officials sign off on proposed warehouse
NORWALK — A local food distribution company has been given approval to move forward with plans to build a new warehouse near the Silvermine River.
The Norwalk Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday voted to approve plans from the Associated Food Distributors to construct a 10,000-square-foot warehouse and manufacturing facility at 16 Mueller Ave.
Liz Suchy, an attorney representing the Darien-based company, said the building will be used to manufacture and store roofing material for the construction trade, a lucrative product that is currently in high demand.
The commission's unanimous vote came after a public hearing during in which no one spoke in support of opposition to the project.
The pre-designed metal building will feature four entrances, an office, a conference room, a pair of bathrooms and an assembly area that takes up about ten percent of the facility. The rest of the warehouse will be dedicated to storing the manufactured items.
Unlike most warehouses, the insulated building will feature a colorful exterior and large glass windows near the front entrance, according to Charles Georgie, an architect hired for the project.
“We're trying to dress it up and make it a nice addition to the site,” Georgie said.
The facility, according to Suchy, is expected to employ between five and seven people when it opens for business. The warehouse will operate during normal business hours on weekdays and from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
The 3.2-acre site currently features a 31,400-square-foot warehouse built in 1967 and a nearly 10,000-square-foot warehouse built in 1947, city documents show. The buildings sit in an industrial area near the U.S. Route 7 and the Silvermine River.
Associated Food Distributors has owned the property since 1966, according to city property records. The land and buildings were collectively assessed at nearly $3.8 million in 2018.
Suchy said 100 feet of new sidewalk will be built on Muller Avenue as part of the project. A handful of street trees will also be planted near the roadway.
City documents show planning and zoning officials recommended the company include solar panels on the building's roof. But Suchy said the size of the roof and the costs associated with installing the equipment prevent the owners from implementing the proposal.