The City of Middletown has engaged Spectra Construction & Development to produce plans for the property between the Middletown Police Department and deKoven Drive. A 2-level parking arcade occupied this site until 2018, when the deteriorating arcade was demolished. The property in its current condition is shown below, looking from Sgt. Dingwall Drive toward the Superior Court building and the Connecticut River.

At a recent meeting of the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce, Spectra presented preliminary renderings of one vision for the property. The preliminary nature of these drawings needs to be underscored, because this vision depends upon the City being successful in its effort to acquire the property owned by ATD (Attention to Detail) at the corner of Dingwall Drive and deKoven Drive, shown here.

Below are some of the renderings that Spectra shared at the Chamber of Commerce meeting. (We have permission to share these with our readers.) The “plaza” shown would be at the same elevation as the proposed pedestrian bridge over Route 9, with a passageway going through a new building where ADT now stands.

An aerial view of the proposed plan. The Middletown Police Station is at the bottom left corner.

The plan envisions a public plaza surrounded by commercial and residential development.

A proposed passage through the building, continuing onto a proposed pedestrian bridge over Route 9 to Harbor Park. that would be part of the Route 9 traffic signal removal project.

Parking would be below the plaza — one or two levels depending on tests to determine ground water levels and dangers of flooding.

The Jonah Center is not prepared to comment on these plans, except in one respect. Since the construction of the Superior Court building (1993-94), the City has envisioned a continuous wide plaza from Main Street, through Riverview Plaza, directly to a pedestrian bridge over Route 9 to Harbor Park and the river.

Riverview Plaza looking east toward the Connecticut River

The courthouse and courthouse parking garage were designed to preserve this space for a pedestrian walkway and unobstructed sightline from Main Street to the river. This first Spectra proposal blocks that sightline. We feel this feature should be retained as future plans evolve regarding the parcel in question.

Share your comments on Spectra’s proposal by sending us a message here.