E-Malt.com News article: USA, CT: Armada Brewing receives plan approval in New Haven

New Haven is one step closer to having another taproom and brewery within its borders, the Middletown Press reported on September 24.

John Kraszewski Jr., owner of Armada Brewing, has received site plan approval for improvements to 190 River St., which was extensively remediated and approved for development in 2017.

The brewery and bar will be located in a historic 2-story masonry building at the corner of River and Lloyd streets.

Kraszewski said there will be no seating at the bar on the first level, but there will be seven tables seating 28 people.

On the second floor, Kraszewski said it will be more of a lounge area with seating at the bar on two sides. There also will be four 2-person tables around the facility and the couch area for a total of 40 customers on this level.

Kraszewski said the manufacturing space will be on the right side of the first floor, where there will be several vessels for making the beer.

The product is then moved into fermenters for 14 days before it is carbonated, packaged in kegs and placed in coolers for serving and retail sale. The beer made on the premises is consumed on site or sold to customers there.

Armada’s main production and distribution location, where it produces four core beers as well as more than a dozen seasonal beers, will remain in East Haven.

The product is distributed to locations in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Armada Brewing will seek a special exception — its last needed approval — for the manufacture of beer on River Street at the Board of Zoning Appeals on Sept. 29.

Kraszewski said he was “excited” by the City Plan approval and is looking forward to the BZA hearing.

The estimated 6,000-square-foot taproom and brewery is one of two breweries proposed for River Street. The second one, much different in size, is the New England Brewing Co., currently in Woodbridge.

Jaigantic Studios, an ambitious proposed movie and digital production company owned by actor Michael Jai White, raised concerns about both breweries on the street.

Jaigantic has expressed the need for contiguous space along River Street, but New England Brewing already has a memorandum of understanding with the city for 100/142 River St. for its business.

New England Brewing will need 65,000 square feet of space — some 8 acres at 100 River St. and 2 acres at 142 River St. Jaigantic has a memorandum of understanding for 46-56 River Street and 112 Chapel St. with the city for phase one of its plans.

New England Brewing Co. is the largest craft brewing company in the state.

East Rock Brewing is the only brewery so far in New Haven that has a taproom and cans and distributes from a facility in the city.

BAR brews on site in New Haven, but does not can and distribute; Rhythm Brewing is domiciled in New Haven, but does not brew here, according to Deputy Economic Development Director Stephen Fontana.

Fontana said “progress” is being made on both the NEBC proposal, which is being undertaken by the Eclipse Development Group, and Jaigantic, with discussions centering on environmental issues.

The parking lot for Armada Brewing, which is adjacent to the building, will accommodate 19 vehicles. It will remain the same as approved in 2017 with the exception of moving one of the handicapped spaces directly in front of the door.

Commission Chairwoman Leslie Radcliffe asked how close the parking lot was, looking to customer safety and convenience and “depending on how much of the beer they tapped into.”

Kraszewski said the facility would promote “responsible drinking.”

The only addition to the earlier approval for the site is two concrete pads to elevate chilling and cooling equipment above the 100-year flood elevation and removal of an existing concrete driveway.

There also will be panels installed over the garage doors for flood protection.

The site was contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, but it has been capped with asphalt paving. An Environmental Land Use Restriction prevents digging under the cap and only allows industrial/commercial uses.

There will be three bike racks inside the building and a number outside under a future easement with the city.

The site was part of the Bigelow Boiler Manufacturing Co., which extended from 190 to 198 River St., a major site for fabrication of large industrial boilers during New Haven’s industrial heyday starting in the late 19th century.

Portions of Bigelow on 198 River St. are being bulldozed for safety reasons, but 190 River was renovated by G.L. Capasso in an agreement with the city.

Capasso, whose business is on Lloyd Street, also plans to remediate one of four buildings at 198 River St., the only one not scheduled to be razed.

Radcliffe told Kraszewski she was looking forward to when the sign will be up for Armada Brewing “and we can park our bikes and have some beer.”


24 September, 2021