Owner makes one last push to market Seymour plaza before planned demolition

Two large empty retail spaces that Adams grocery and Ames locations once occupied at the Tri-Town Plaza at 814 Derby Avenue in Seymour, Conn. on Monday, December 5, 2016. Two large empty retail spaces that Adams grocery and Ames locations once occupied at the Tri-Town Plaza at 814 Derby Avenue in Seymour, Conn. on Monday, December 5, 2016. Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Buy photo Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Owner makes one last push to market Seymour plaza before planned demolition 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

SEYMOUR — Instead of a new tenant, the vacant sections of Tri-Town Plaza may soon see a wrecking ball coming their way.

The owner of the Derby Avenue site off Route 8 has hired a new listing broker in a final attempt at finding a tenant for the nearly 98,000-square-foot vacancy in the shopping center.

If a new tenant is not found by fall, the entire space formerly occupied by Ames and Adams Supermarket will be demolished, said Shirley Harpool, of Harpool Commercial Realty in Ansonia, who this week took over the marketing of the plaza.

Ron Spector, of Nevada, has owned the property for years. The 35,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by the supermarket has been vacant since it closed in 2003 and the adjacent 63,000-square-foot location was home to Ames until 2002.

The rest of the plaza is occupied by Entertainment Cinemas and a number of smaller businesses, including a liquor store and Dunkin Donuts.

Spector did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Harpool said Spector is finalizing the contract for demolition, but is hoping to find a single tenant to occupy the space before moving forward with that final action.

“This will undoubtedly be the last opportunity for a commercial user to enter one of Connecticut’s fastest-growing markets at a fraction of the cost to providing new, build-to-suit construction,” Harpool said. “If this final effort is not successful, we will commence demolition in the fall and continue to offer build-to-suit opportunities and pad leases for the future.”

She said she is optimistic that she will be able to find a tenant this summer for the property, although she acknowledged it would take some work. “They have contacted a lot of people over the years, it sounds like,” she said.

Besides big box retailers, Harpool said she would be looking to speak to users outside the retail sector, as well. “It’d be great for an urgent care center or some type of health facility,” she said. Another use that may be a good fit for the space is a community college or technical college, Harpool added.

She said she’s been interested in the Tri-Town Plaza for several years. “I think something great can happen there,” she said. “It’s a great location.”

ktorres@hearstmediact.com; 203-330-6227