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September 1, 2022 Town Spotlight: Ansonia

Long-vacant site along Naugatuck River slated for new sports multiplex

PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti (left) and Josh Shuart, president of the board of aldermen, pose at the site of a new sports multiplex planned on Olson Drive.
By Alix Boyle

Though a shovel has not yet been put in the ground, semi-professional soccer players have already moved to Ansonia in anticipation of a new outdoor soccer stadium and indoor sports multiplex proposed for land on Olson Drive along the Naugatuck River.

Developer John Guedes of Primrose Companies in Bridgeport plans to build a regulation-sized outdoor soccer stadium, 39,000-square-foot indoor soccer facility and a second, 49,000-square-foot multi-sports space. A basketball training firm has expressed interest in the second building.

The project is expected to soon be approved by the Ansonia Planning and Zoning Commission, said Sheila O’Malley, Ansonia’s economic development director. If all goes according to plan, the sports facility will be a cornerstone in Ansonia’s quest for revitalization.

“The project will bring people in to support the economy,” O’Malley said. “We felt a sports-related operation would meet our needs. It’s also in keeping with Ansonia as a sports town — people know us for our sports.”

'Full cycle soccer'

The Olson Drive property was once the site of a federally-subsidized housing complex. It sits just across the river from downtown shops and restaurants.

Mayor David Cassetti and his administration sought and received approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to buy the land from the Ansonia Housing Authority. The city is selling the land to Primrose developers for $510,000.

“We hope to have all construction/permit documents ready to start by November,” said Guedes. “I believe it will be one-of-a-kind in Connecticut and will bring a good quality of life to Ansonia and the surrounding communities. The goal, similar to my efforts in downtown Shelton, is a revival of the city's downtown.”

Guedes recently received approval to build a five-story apartment building on Canal Street in Shelton with 92 apartments and 11,000 square feet of retail space.

He estimates the Ansonia project will cost $18 million and take a year to complete. He likes the central valley location and thought sports would be a great fit for the community.

Olé Football Club Connecticut, a semi-professional soccer team, plans to operate out of the new stadium in Ansonia, said Rodrigo Nunes, owner of the team and Olé Soccer, a youth sports program for kids from 18 months to 18 years old. The team currently practices six mornings a week on a field provided by the city.

“We are creating the full soccer cycle,” Nunes said. “We are reaching the valley and other areas to become the feeder system to the professional team. It’s a semi-professional team now; we want to become a professional team. We need to move up another division in the national scenario, that’s our goal in the next couple of years. The other goal we have is to create a women’s semi-professional team, which is much needed in our area. We want to make a connection with the community and get people to attend games and start a whole fan base.”

RENDERING | CONTRIBUTED
A rendering of a new sports multiplex planned for property along the Naugatuck River in Ansonia.

Olé Football Club Connecticut plays in the United Premier Soccer League’s fourth division, a league that’s recognized by FIFA. Players come from all over the world, Nunes said.

The youth program currently operates in Fairfield and Monroe and will expand into Ansonia once the facility is built.

But not everyone is happy with the proposal. Ansonia resident Matt McGowan claims the city did not follow proper procedures in awarding the project and filed a lawsuit to compel the city to hold a public hearing on the sale of the Olson Drive parcel and to put the property out for public bid.

Corporation Counsel John Marini has filed a motion to dismiss the suit, which he called “frivolous.”

The city bonded $5 million to demolish the apartments and worked for three years to gain control of the property. After demolition was completed, it was determined the property was in a flood plain, which made the possibility of a housing development cost-prohibitive, O’Malley said.

Instead, the city sought a partner to develop the property to get it back on the tax rolls. Eventually, Guedes stepped forward with the sports-complex proposal.

"This project is going to be transformative for Ansonia,” Mayor Cassetti said. “We anticipate hundreds, if not thousands, of visitors from Connecticut and beyond to see professional-level soccer, to frequent our ‘restaurant row’ downtown, to shop in our stores and hopefully to really see all Ansonia has to offer. We anticipate increased foot traffic in downtown and new residents along with the build-out of this project.”

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