New Industrial Development Reviewed by Town Council

The proposed development would be located just north and west of I-84 (diagonal) between Smoron Drive and Curtiss Street. GOOGLE SATELLITE IMAGE

The weekend snowstorm that affected wide swaths of the Northeast meant that the Southington Town Council meeting of Monday, January 26 had to be held remotely. But with all Council members present via Zoom, business proceeded as usual – and included the announcement of a major piece of economic development news.

The news came in an update delivered by Councillor Michael DelSanto on the Economic Development Strike Committee, which he chairs. At the sub-committee’s January 15 meeting, Town representatives heard preliminary details of an ambitious plan for a multi-use development in one of Southington’s last remaining industrial parcels. The land in question has proved difficult to develop due to the presence of transmission lines, wetlands, watercourses, and topographical challenges, DelSanto said.

The project, according to DelSanto, involves three separate parcels at 99 Smoron Drive, 115 Summit Farms Road, and 682 Curtiss Street, which together constitute about 114 acres just north of I-84. Part of the property is zoned I-2, for industrial purposes; the developer intends to seek a zone change on 35 acres near I-84 in order to make part of it into a retail area of some 150,000 square feet that would include a gas station and hotel.

Although DelSanto did not mention the developer’s name, the roughly 60-acre Smoron Drive property currently belongs to Technology Industrial Park, a business owned by local developers Mark Lovely and Jason Manafort. Former Council member Jack Perry was part of a group that purchased the Curtiss Street and Summit Farms properties in 2024, per reporting from the Hartford Business Journal.

A key aspect of the proposed project, DelSanto added, is infrastructure upgrades. These possible upgrades include a new road that would connect Smoron Court and Curtiss Street, as well as new sewer, water and gas lines. The value of these investments would be about $15 million, DelSanto reported, citing the project attorney.

In addition, consultant Don Poland, who attended the Strike Committeee meeting, estimated that tax revenues from 665,000 feet of new space would be about $2 million annually, along with $2.6 million in sewer use fees, $773,000 in building permit fees, and wage creation of approximately $11 million. The developers are reportedly not seeking tax abatements.

DelSanto was optimistic about the practical value of the new connector road, which he said could help take some traffic off West Street. The new road would be built by the developer and turned over the town.

The main purpose of the meeting with the Economic Strike committee, DelSanto said, was for the developer to better understand what the next steps should be to bring the project to fruition.

The Town Council did not take any action to approve or disapprove the project, which will have to gain Town staff approvals and the approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission before moving forward.

Another sub-committee report, from the Apple Harvest Committee, covered some personnel changes as well as the news that the first of several musical acts who will appear at the annual event has been secured.

The three parcels in question abut I-84 and run from Curtiss (lower left) to Smoron (uppr right). GOOGLE STREET MAP IMAGE

New Town Attorney and Other Business

In what Council Chair Paul Chaplinsky, Jr. called a “formality,” the agenda order was amended in order to appoint a new Town Attorney and Assistant Town Attorney. This merely meant switching titles, not introducing new people, with former Assistant Town Attorney Louis Martocchio III, appointed earlier this term, moving into the lead role and his father Louis Martocchio II, taking the Assistant role. Councillor Chris Palmieri mentioned that “several residents” had reached out about tabling the moves until the next in-person meeting, but ultimately the Council unanimously approved the changes.

Although appointments to the Town’s several commissions and sub-committees had been somewhat contentious to begin the term, Dana Rickard and Kathy Rickard were appointed to the Southington Enterprise & Economic Development (SEED) Committee to fill one vacancy. Town Bylaws require one representative who is a “business owner,” but finding a quorum for meetings, as Palmieri pointed out, has proven difficult for this group. The new arrangement allows for one of the Rickards, who represent local business Compumail, to attend when possible. The Council voted unanimously to approve the compromise. There are still vacant spots that must be filled by a local resident who lives in the enterprise zone, and by a college student.

The Council also voted to appoint a sub-committee to oversee the construction of new roofs at three area elementary schools. This group will be responsible for keeping the construction compliant with state law governing the process, so that the town remains eligible to receive grants and reimbursements for the cost.

The Council approved several grant applications. One of these would request subvention from the Connecticut Department of Transportation for a new bus for Calendar House. Town Manager Alex Ricciardone advised a tempered optimism, since the grant process was “highly competitive.”

Another grant request was for new fiber installation. The request came to the Town from Frontier Wireless, which is seeking Southington’s support for a grant the company is pursuing. The Council chose to endorse a more “generic” letter of support for any company that might wish to pursue fiber network upgrades in town.

While Town Shuts for Storm, Sledders, Plow Drivers, and Cooks Keep Going

Ethan and Bella Guy show off their rainbow-colored snow tube. PHILIP THIBODEAU PHOTOS

The schools? Closed. Town Hall? Closed. The Library, YMCA, Calendar House, Community Services? All closed. 15 to 20 inches of snow – the totals vary depending on who you ask – will do that.

But that doesn’t mean everything in Southington was shut down, or that no one was out and about.

Take the sledders on the hill at Camp Sloper off East Street. Late Monday afternoon, the tracks leading down the slope near the power lines were packed from the dozens of kiddos who had come out with their snow tubes for some wintertime thrills.

As Kevin Guy watched his children trudge up the slope, he reflected that there weren’t as many good places to sled in town as their used to be, what with all the new development. Maybe Oak Hill by Flanders Street? (Online commenters recommended Panthorn Park.)

His son Ethan suddenly raced down the hill at top speed, hoping to hit the jump fast enough to go airborne for a moment. Ethan’s older sister Bella preferred a more leisurely pace, steering and turning over the bumps.

Snowtubes seem to be the way to go on Monday – a pair of toboggans and sleds sat unused in the frigid snow pack. Yet Guy, thinking again of the past, recalled another, more more creative alternative: “My buddies and I once went sledding using an weightlifting bench we turned over. It was fast – you’d be surprised.”

Ethan hits the ramp at the bottom of the hill.

Meanwhile, downtown, the walls of piled snow had turned the sidewalks into icy trenches. Highway Department employees plowed all night to keep the streets passable, while landlords and contractors cleared the walks with snowblowers.

During the worst of the storm Sunday, most local businesses were shut down – but not Taqueria la Juquilita at 190 Main Street. The owners, Israel Hernandez and Flor Reyes, live nearby, so for them, coming in to work was no big deal. “We were open yesterday. I live close, a five minute walk. You work in the kitchen, you always have to work,” Israel said.

Asked how business was during the middle of the storm, he answered, “A lot of workers came in the store,” most of them plow drivers. Their favorite food? “Everything,” he smiled. “Memelas, they really like memelas.” Memelas consist of a corn flour pancake topped with meat, cheese, beans, and salsa – an essential part of the Oaxacan cuisine that Taqueria la Juquilita specializes in.

“It’s authentic, it’s what we make at home. Memelas, tortillas, quesidillas, tacos. Nobody has it like this,” he said. He and his staff proudly showed off a Google award from last summer declaring their shop ‘best Mexican in Southington.'

The warm restaurant stood in contrast to the icy parking lot outside. Workmen, some running on minimal sleep, kept coming in from the cold to grab their take-out. Once fortified by memelas and energy drinks, they set out to finish the remaining driveways and parking lots on their lists.

Israel Hernandez and his wife Flor, who run Taqueria la Juquilita.

The taqueria's storefront.

Jenna Hebert Becomes Leader of Southington Cross Country, Track

SHS Senior Jenna Hebert JACLYN SULLIVAN PHOTO

When Jenna Hebert joined the Southington High School girls country team, she was standing at the feet of program legends, looking up to their accomplishments. Four years later, Hebert now runs in their footsteps, leading three different Blue Knights athletic programs as captain.

“It was kind of intimidating at first. All these girls were pretty fast. Even girls in my grade were faster than me, and then there were all these upperclassmen doing amazing things,” Hebert said. “I definitely looked up to them a lot. By the time I was a sophomore, and starting to get better and into the swing of things, I realized they’re just like me.”

Running cross country began for Hebert in sixth grade at DePaolo Middle School, but she had always been athletic. Already a two-season athlete, her parents Tina and Ethan encouraged her to add cross country as her fall sport.

It wasn’t an immediate hit with Hebert, though she liked being with her runner friends. It took time before running really became something the now senior enjoyed.

“No,” Hebert said bluntly about if running clicked with her immediately. “Truly, I did it because my friends did it. I just ended up getting better at it as I became a better athlete. In high school. I started putting serious time into running. That’s when I started to feel things click.”

“For my first three years of cross country, I was really just doing it,” she continued. “I don’t want to say I wasn’t trying. But I definitely wasn’t thinking a lot about my performance.”

Still, by her eighth grade season, Hebert had seen herself grow as a runner. She started taking her training more seriously and decided to continue running at the high school level. Because of that, she had the opportunity to train with some of the Blue Knights before her freshman season.

Hebert was already feeling more comfortable with her jump up to high school. When it came to competing as a runner, she knew it was time to fully lock in.

“Maturing as an athlete and person,” Hebert said. “You have to make a decision at some point: either ‘I’m just doing this for fun’, or ‘I want to get good, I want to compete at this.’ I wasn’t planning on switching to any other fall sport. I was like, ‘I’m all-in.’”

Hebert Becomes Full-Time Runner with Blue Knights

As a freshman, Hebert joined Southington’s girls cross country and outdoor track and field teams. She was also a member of the girl’s basketball team. Then Hebert made a consequential decision.

She left the basketball team after her freshman season and joined indoor track as her winter season sport. Hebert had fully caught the running bug and was now racing year round. Her definition of ‘all-in’ took on a whole different meaning.

“When I went into cross country as a freshman, I found I really liked competing. I really liked racing other girls,” Hebert said. “I felt a lot more personal autonomy and satisfaction from running. Competing in running, competing with my friends and seeing my progress was a lot more promising to me than basketball. That’s why I went all-in.”

Hebert’s sophomore season was when she saw her most progress as a runner. She was putting in the work and seeing her times improve. Helping her along the way was her new head coach Jaclyn Sullivan. Sullivan’s arrival helped spark the racer’s competitive desire.

“Her training really did something for me,” Hebert said. “Her whole attitude towards running made me want to be a lot more committed. It made me realize I can be a lot faster than I thought I was.”

It didn’t take long for Sullivan to realize what she had in Hebert as both a runner and person. Working with her since sophomore year, the head coach has only seen the runner’s positive traits blossom further.

“What sets Jenna apart is how thoughtfully she engages in her development as both a runner and a leader,” Sullivan said. “She communicates openly about race plans, reflects honestly on workouts and races, and processes training in a meaningful way. She understands the purpose behind the work and applies feedback with intention, which has contributed to the confidence she has developed this year. She models what it looks like to be a runner who is actively working to grow.”

Thanks to this new mentality and Sullivan’s coaching plan, Hebert qualified for the Central Connecticut Conference and Class LL State Tournament during her sophomore indoor track season. She ran the 1000 meters as an individual at CCCs and the 1600 meter relay at States.

Her first time competing at that level proved a bit nerve wracking for Hebert. Still, she relied on her preparation and put out her best effort. 

“It was my first time ever, so it was definitely really scary,” Hebert said. “But Coach Jackie has always taught us to be confident and fall back on our training. That really helped me going into that. I ran a great race, I can’t complain.”

JENNA HEBERT PHOTOS

Varsity Jump Comes with Difficult Hurdle

By her junior season, Hebert had made the varsity cross country team. With indoor and outdoor track as well, she was now a three-sport varsity athlete. The transition still came with difficulties though, as Hebert had to take on an entirely new brand of running.

“That was definitely a switch for me,” Hebert said. “I found you have to race a lot differently. You have to be a lot more confident in yourself. You’re on the same line as girls who are insane, committed D1. You need to be confident about where you should be in the race and moving up. With that summer training and everything I did going into my junior year, knowing that I was capable, helped me a lot. Even though I was running against a lot of people that were better than me.”

After making such big strides as a sophomore, Hebert admits she wasn’t sure what to expect as a junior. She used the first couple of races to see where she stood so she could plan her next course of action.

But Hebert couldn’t have foreseen what her senior year eventually brought. After competing in cross country the whole season, she suffered a left hip injury right before CCCs. She hadn’t dealt with an injury as serious as this one before and was ultimately sidelined for the cross country postseason

“That was my first time ever having a big injury where I’m out for weeks at a time. It came on very suddenly right before the conference meet, which sucked,” Hebert said. “I focused on what I can do for the team. Cheering for my teammates, making sure that everybody is good, helping out with people who are nervous. I was still grateful to be there, and it was very exciting watching all my teammates race.”

While she couldn’t compete herself, Hebert still took her role with the Blue Knights seriously. She still attended CCCs and States. Hurt hip or not, Hebert wanted her teammates to know she was still standing besides them.

“It was honestly such a pleasure to run my senior season with the teammates I’ve been running with for the past four years,” Hebert said. “To see my growth from freshman to senior year, that was all a privilege.”

Hebert Leads Southington

As she competes in her last indoor track season, and prepares for her final outdoor track campaign, Hebert is hoping to continue setting personal records while qualifying for CCCs and States. However, her racing times don't paint the full picture of what she offers the Blue Knights.

Hebert was named an outdoor track and field captain as a junior. As a senior she became a captain for cross country alongside Katherine Cavanaugh, and for indoor track along with Cavanaugh and Adriana Paskowski.

Hebert understands that running can be a mentally tough sport. As a leader, she is hoping to offer support and guidance for anyone who may have been in her shoes previously.

“Anything from being a nice, familiar face in the hallway to somebody who’s helping out during workouts and encouraging people during the race,” Hebert said of what being a captain means. “When I wasn’t injured, I’d lead by example as much as vocally. That’s what it means to me, leading by example and helping teammates with running mentally.”

It’s clear to Sullivan why Hebert operates as such a strong leader. She credits the senior for her understanding of program expectations and her overall dependability. The Blue Knights as a team have grown in part due to the way in which Hebert carries herself as a teammate.

“Working with Jenna as an athlete has been a positive and engaging experience,” Sullivan said. “She brings confidence, intention, and self-awareness to our program and leads through how she trains, prepares, and competes. With the experience she has in the sport, she is willing to fully invest in the work needed to continue improving.”

“As a teammate, Jenna is supportive and respectful, consistently offering encouragement after races and recognizing the success of others,” she continued. “She is committed to her own improvement and brings that same mindset to the team, understanding that individual growth and team success are closely connected. Jenna is an important part of our program, and the example she sets through her engagement, communication, and leadership will have a lasting impact.”

Hebert won’t be running at the college level. She is still picking out a school, but she is hoping to major in something that gets her on the pre-law track, so that she can ultimately go to law school.

As she looks back at her time as a runner, the senior can’t help but notice her times improving and more personal records being racked up. But those times wouldn’t have happened had Hebert not grown as a person, from a shy freshman to a confident senior. It’s that inner improvement that Hebert will remember most.

“You can see my times, my personal records. But to me, what’s changed the most is how I treat things mentally,” Hebert said. “As an underclassmen, I’d be so nervous hours and hours, the whole day leading up to my race. Now, I go into things with a lot more confidence. That comes not only from experience, but from being able to trust myself and my training. As I’ve worked, obviously my times have gotten better. But it took just as much work to change my mentality.”

From her days at DePaolo running around with friends to competing at CCCs and States against her biggest competition, Hebert always repped Southington. There, she learned how to run and found her pack. As she closes out her time with the Blue Knights, Hebert won’t soon forget the miles and memories accumulated along the way.

“It means the world to me,” Hebert said. “I’ve met so many people that I’m so close to now through cross country and track. I’ve been able to learn a lot about myself and how to deal with hard things outside of running. All that and all the people I’ve met are things I can carry with me for a long time.”