The former Wickes Manufacturing site in east Windsor could see some redevelopment soon.
Windsor's Planning and Economic Development Committee is recommending $1.66-million in grant money to U-Haul to clean up the site and turn it into a storage site.
"It's going to clean it up considerably. U-haul is going to have a self-storage area developed on site," says Councillor Bill Marra. "There's a lot of chemicals that are stored, the interior needs a great deal of work, but we have to keep in mind U-haul only just purchased this property in September of 2015 and already there's significant activity on site."
The grant includes around $25,000 for environmental studies. The remainder will be given as tax incentives under the brownfield rehabilitation program. Under the program increased property taxes due to increased property value are waived for up to 10 years.
The site was home to Windsor Bumper Co. until the early 1990's before it was turned over to Wickes Manufacturing . Eventually the city took over the site under tax arrears. An industrial fire caused further damage to the site in June 2014.
The grant recommendation will go to city council for approval in the new year.
