Officials hope signs point to more business in Sandy Hook

Newtown officials are considering adding signs to help direct people to the town's businesses. Newtown officials are considering adding signs to help direct people to the town's businesses. Photo: Tyler Sizemore Buy photo Photo: Tyler Sizemore Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Officials hope signs point to more business in Sandy Hook 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

NEWTOWN -- On the face of it, the Sandy Hook enclave appears to be a developer's dream, conveniently located between exits 10 and 11 of Interstate 84.

Yet, many travelers who take those exits never get to see its quaint commercial district -- perhaps because they don't even know it's there.

Economic development officials say a few signs would go a long way to correct that situation, and have received a grant to study what signs might work best, what they should say, how they should look and where they might be placed.

The grant is only for $10,000, but it offers a lot of potential, they said.

"They would help people find businesses, where to park, where to eat and also find attractions like the river, the winery and the park," said Christal Preszler, the town's economic development administrator.

Preszler pointed out the grant is for the cost of the study, but not the signs themselves.

She said the goal of the signs will be to get people to stay a little longer and to spend more money in town as well.

"We'd like to see more people come to Sandy Hook and do things," she said.

"When you get off either one of those I-84 exits, there's nothing to tell you that the village is even there," said Betsy Paynter, the coordinator of economic development. "And once you get down into the village, they'll tell you where to park, where to eat and maybe even a little of Sandy Hook's history. There was a large Irish population It's really a beautiful place with hiking trails, McLaughlin Vineyards -- that kind of thing."

Sandy Hook might seem a little down on its heels. A number of business properties are either for sale or lease, including the Sandy Hook Diner (open for business), a 56,000-square-foot light industrial warehouse and several other commercial offices.

Town officials said it's impossible to say whether -- at this point -- the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting is still driving businesses away, although there's agreement that in the days and weeks following the massacre, Sandy Hook saw a lot less spending. Whether that was because of the huge police presence, the media trucks or the stigma that its name conjured up in people's mind is anyone's guess.

"You'll always have a few vacant businesses," Paynter said. "And we just finished the streetscape project with better sidewalks and lighting."

The grant was awarded in part because of the "business interruption" caused by the tragedy, Preszler said. It was provided in part by the Connecticut Main Street Center's Preservation of Place Program. Connecticut Main Street Center is a non-profit agency that "advocates for programs and policies that advance the Main Street way of life," and also the state Office of Historic Preservation.

The sign study is in its request-for-proposals stage. Officials hope to have the study complete by Sept. 30.