The City Council on Monday gave final approval to the construction of a 60-unit apartment complex along the Naugatuck River that city leaders believe will “change the landscape of Torrington.” The two 5-1 votes by the council authorizes Mayor Elinor C. Carbone to sign a 95-year lease with developer Pennrose, which seeks to construct a four-story apartment complex on the two-acre vacate property. The other vote allows the mayor to sign a tax abatement to phase in property taxes over 15 years. Carbone said she hopes to complete the closing by the end this month with Pennrose starting construction in April. Construction would eliminate the parking lot built in 2014. The city is using state grant money to fund the remediation. Initial costs brought cleanup money to well below the $1 million in environmental cleanup grant money the city received from the state Department of Economic and Community Development. Another 50% was available if the city needed and it did when additional contaminants were discovered. The DECD approved an additional $400,000 to cover the remaining cleanup costs.
