A Model for Downtown Development

John Falcone stands outside the building he is renovating.

A recent issue of the Waterbury Republican-American featured an article about Mr. John Falcone, the new owner of the Sullivan's Karate building on the corner of Main and Calhoun Streets in Torrington. [Historical gem unearthed underneath blighted facade, November 3]

Mr. Falcone bought this deteriorated eyesore, listed on the city's list of blighted buildings, intending to quickly fix it up and then sell it. When taking off the aluminum siding, he found six panels of turn-of-the-century stained glass windows over the four door fronts. Then he looked up and saw the dental moldings at the top of the second story that were put on when the building was constructed in 1913. He immediately realized the buildings were indeed of much value, and decided then to restore the storefront and the apartments overhead.

It is unbelievable to see the progressing work on this building as it is restored it to its former beauty. Mr. Falcone is the type of man who should be renovating downtown Torrington’s stores—instead of letting them be bulldozed, as a certain unskilled developer intends to do. A hearty thank you to Mr. Falcone for what he's doing to this building.

None of the downtown buildings are in the poor condition that Sullivan's was, yet the hucksters want our legislature to give them $10 million of our tax monies to "think up" ideas before they proceed with bulldozing downtown Torrington and Water Street. They want to construct more shoddy junk shops to be stocked by more eighteen-wheelers.

A view from inside the building, looking north up Main Street.

Our elected officials should be restoring the train station and bringing the trains, both transport and passenger, back to Torrington. Also, they should be continuing to try to secure the new courthouse if it doesn't work out in Litchfield. That would be constructive progress. This North End restoration project shows what can be done when politics doesn't enter the picture.

There's no qualified developer for downtown Torrington (only one voted in on the "midnight shift" while we slept). We have greedy politicians and real estate barons wanting their "cut." We'll lose the new firehouse and the restored Allen Building in their plan, to begin with.

We cannot continue to go by the "bottom dollar line." Look what that hare-brained idea is doing to the country's job market.

Thank you again, Mr. Falcone.