A critical opportunity exists in Newington Center for potential development!
Both the Town Council and Town Planning and Zoning Commission are meeting this week to discuss the potential redevelopment of Best Market Plaza at 103-175 Lowrey Place for 273 apartment units (this is a Pre-Application hearing). Also, the Hartford HealthCare campus is up for sale at 181 & 184-200 Patricia Genova Drive, comprised of nearly 50 acres which can be utilized for a variety of uses such as multi-family, affordable and/or elderly housing, retail, healthcare or mixed use.

This could have a huge impact on the downtown area. The Town Council meets tonight (1/23) at 7pm and the Town Planning and Zoning Commission meets tomorrow night (1/24) at 7pm.

View the Best Market plaza presentation here:
https://www.newingtonct.gov/Agenda.../ViewFile/Item/14016...

View the HHC listing here: https://www.avisonyoung.us/properties/Newington...
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What type of development would you hope to see happen in the Town Center? Comment below.

There will be a Pre-Application hearing this coming Wednesday, January 24 at 7:00pm at the Town Planning and Zoning meeting for a proposed re-development of the Northwood Shopping Center (aka Best Market plaza) at 103-175 Lowrey Place.

The property owner submitted an "executive summary" of the proposed plan which consists of 273 units of studio, 1- and 2-bedroom, market rate affordable and elderly apartments.

The plaza currently houses 5 businesses. Best Market anchored the center until September, 2019. That space has remained vacant since.
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What do you think of this proposal? Do you think this is the best use for the property? Make your voice heard below.

A recap of openings (both upcoming and future), closings, updates on previous items and much more information to pass along to you in the latest Business Brief. This year is looking very promising for business news!

-LaserMaxx will be opening in the former Laser Quest space at 3005 Berlin Turnpike . They have chosen Newington as their very first New England location! See our original post here: https://www.facebook.com/thenewingtonscoop/posts/pfbid0rFa4zd82Nr4jGgNyyPcYV3kzi8M5vbFkFaXUiVGkc1Pxt13Jesthybgay22jxqiVl
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-The BSC Group (the Applicant) submitted a Site Plan Modification to the Town for a variation of Treva, a popular Italian restaurant in West Hartford since 2010, to occupy the former Bertucci's at 2929 Berlin Turnpike. They are looking to make improvements to the property, which includes landscaping and the addition of an outdoor patio! It will be operated by the DORO Restaurant Group, which already has several eateries in the area. The Petition was Approved with Conditions. Read the story here and to see the site plan: https://www.facebook.com/thenewingtonscoop/posts/pfbid07fnRS49jTYGHpxeUWF1D6ghdm5MfQ1m7mBVb29SZmbphdFVkZ8JBh8W6TuESrG3wl

-TGI Fridays closed their Newington location on January 2. This was a part of a larger group of closings around the country for the chain. The Hamden location was also shuttered. The closest one to Newington is now Manchester at 209 Hale Road.

-Super 6 Convenience Store has opened at 357 Richard Street! The new store replaces a 7-Eleven store that had occupied the space for many years. The general look of the building remains identical. There is also a Super 6 in Manchester at 706 Main Street. Check them out!

-F45 Training will be opening at 30C Fenn Road! This was the former Berkshire Hathaway Real Estate office which moved to the Berlin Turnpike. They will have a Grand Opening and ribbon cutting on January 26 at 9am with the Newington Chamber of Commerce. Visit them on the web to learn more about what they offer: https://f45training.com/studio/newington/

-While I was over at Fenn Road, I also noticed the sign up at Shah's Halal Food restaurant just next door at 26 Fenn Road. They have signs in their window indicating they are hiring! It shouldn't be long before they also open!

-Civility Home Care is opening at 81 Market Square (2nd floor). They offer homemaker companionship, Personal Care, as well as being a Temporary Nurse and Employment Service. Join them tomorrow (January 16) at 5pm for Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony with the Chamber.

-Woodspring Suites (712 Cedar Street) is nearing completion. The parking lot was paved last month.

-The Flash Car Wash (16 Fenn Road) is close to getting their Certificate of Occupancy following the completion of the MDC work and waiting on final inspections of the property. It was announced at the 1/10 TPZ meeting that they are hoping to open "sooner rather than later".

-At Meadow Commons, paving of the parking area continued last month. The Town Planner also reported that access to the property will most likely be "right in, right out" from the Berlin Turnpike initially until the traffic signal is installed and the road is reconfigured to allow Northbound access to the property from the Turnpike. They expect the first business to open in March. See our update from last month: https://www.facebook.com/thenewingtonscoop/posts/pfbid0ve2ivqeuUfeUi9X19FUEmCBpef6s14hc6NoJ4QFv4pRLR55m7pooFR4i4YF1RyQ1l

-Friendly's (3420 Berlin Turnpike) is back open after a car crashed into the building and an employee was injured back in November.

-The Paper Station closed their storefront on December 30. They are however still very much in business! Follow them on Facebook as they transition to their new virtual model!

-At last week's TPZ meeting (1/10) a Public Hearing for a Special Permit and Site Plan was held for Dunkin', which is looking to open a new location at 79 East Cedar Street, the former Sovereign Bank. It will include a drive-through, unlike the one on Main Street. Previously, drive-throughs for businesses were restricted in the Town Center to banks, pharmacies and dry cleaners. This building was originally a dry cleaners and most recently a bank, which both utilized the existing drive-through. The Petition was "Approved with Conditions". See the Site Plans here: https://www.newingtonct.gov/Agenda.../ViewFile/Item/13933...

-At the upcoming TPZ meeting scheduled for January 24 at 7pm, there will be the Public Hearing for Chillax, LLC for a Cannabis Hybrid Retailer at 2661 Berlin Turnpike, formerly Pier 1. This would be the third business selling cannabis within a 2-mile radius. The other two are Fine Fettle (2280 Berlin Turnpike) and Zen Leaf (2903 Berlin Turnpike).

-Over near Westfarms, the new Popeyes at 587 Hartford Road in New Britain is nearing completion! They are currently hiring. We hope to know their opening date soon.

-ICYMI, please see our newest SPOTLIGHT ON which features The Center of Medical Arts, which moved to their new office at 1268 Main Street in September:
https://www.facebook.com/thenewingtonscoop/posts/pfbid02wGWFt5CNHCvRDp1jkph8KGmXjpfPrd1e1kQmRuMgTqakXnRfe59XUGKErQvzaarkl

BERLIN NEWS:
-In nearby Berlin news, The Encore Bar and Grill will be opening in the former Barrel and Vine space at 1861 Berlin Turnpike. Read our original post here: 
https://www.facebook.com/thenewingtonscoop/posts/pfbid0tU13jj3tJLSi3jnM22que6Qwfer2paWSquCRKyew4mQJw7b7ZEtf7ywZBHmuAeURl
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-Seed kitchen & bagelry is coming soon to Kensington! It will be located at 45 Chamberlain Highway in the Ferndale Plaza next to Jenny Le Nail Salon! The bagel shop offers breakfast and lunch sandwiches, bowls, salads and more! Seed Kitchen currently has a location at 76 Commerce Street in Glastonbury! Visit their website to see their menu: www.seedbagelshop.com

-Also in the Kensington section of Berlin, Bungalow On The Ave will be closing their storefront at 945 Farmington Avenue. Read about the closing here:
https://www.facebook.com/thenewingtonscoop/posts/pfbid025AKE4swmSUf8nQyB23bvmKutJPV6h3hXE3q4YAME6Fe8miRq8CZpnBKdZzv2i2vGl

We have expanded our coverage of business news to include Berlin/Kensington! If you have any "scoops" regarding our neighboring town, please let us know by emailing us as [email protected].
THE SCOOP 'FAMILY' CONTINUES TO GROW!

Our founder, Jean-Luc is seeking interested folks who would be interested in running a page for their town. If you like to get "the scoop" on the latest business news and love to compose, this is a great opportunity for you! He is looking for someone to run The Cromwell Scoop and The Avon Scoop, which he plans to launch soon. You can contact Jean-Luc at [email protected] if you would like to know more about joining our team!

VISIT US ON THE WEB-The former themanchesterscoop.com URL is now theconnecticutscoop.com! There, you will find all the content you see on our Facebook and Instagram platforms. This will allow us access to a much larger audience who don't use social media or prefers the traditional webpage format. If you know someone who doesn't use social media, let them know about us!

Do you have business news you would like to share? Are you a business who wishes to advertise on The Newington Scoop? If you would like to share your story, send us an email at [email protected].
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According to documents submitted to the Town, the new restaurant that will be opening at 2929 Berlin Turnpike later this year will be Treva! The original Treva is located at 980 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford. No opening date has been announced.

Back in November, DORO Restaurant Group announced plans to open a new Italian eatery in the former Bertucci's that closed the Newington location along with several others in December, 2022. The group owns several brands including DORO Marketplace, A'vert, Zohara, and Artisanal Burger Company along with Treva.
They have a Public Hearing scheduled for the next TPZ meeting this Wednesday (1/10/24) for improvements to the property, including a new outdoor patio! You can view the site plans here: https://www.newingtonct.gov/Agenda.../ViewFile/Item/13932...
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To learn more about the DORO family of restaurants, visit them on the web: www.dororg.com.
Are you looking forward to having Treva in Newington? Have you been to the West Hartford location? Comment below.

First on the Scoop!

LaserMaxx is coming soon to Newington! The world-wide laser tag chain will open at 3005 Berlin Turnpike, the former Laser Quest facility.

LaserMaxx has picked Newington for their first US East Coast location. The location is expected to open early this spring! The location will feature a HUGE multi-level maze, new arcade and the best laser tag equipment in the world!

Check out their website here: https://lasermaxxnewington.com/
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Is this a worthy successor to Laser Quest? Will you visit this new attraction? Let us know your thoughts below!

First on the Scoop!

TGI Fridays has closed their Newington location as of today (1/2/2024). The restaurant was located at 3025 Berlin Turnpike. The closest Fridays to the Newington location is at 209 Hale Road in Manchester.
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Did you eat at Fridays? What would you like to see replace it? Comment below!