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December 3, 2024

Mixed-use redevelopment proposed for iconic Republican-American newspaper HQ in Waterbury

Google Republican-American newspaper HQ in Waterbury.
By Michael Puffer

Featuring a 245-foot-tall clock tower adorned with gargoyles, the roughly 70,000-square-foot brick headquarters of the Republican-American newspaper in the center of Waterbury is among the most recognizable buildings in Connecticut. 

Now, the family-run company that owns the Meadow Street property and newspaper is proposing to transform the iconic, century-old building into a mix of 38 luxury apartments, office space and retail, potentially including a high-end restaurant. The daily newspaper would continue to occupy 10,000 square feet of the building. 

City officials say the project by American Republican Inc., which is helmed by newspaper publisher William B. Pape, will complement other ongoing transformations of historic downtown buildings into a mix of apartments and commercial space. It also fits well with the city’s years-long efforts to redevelop dozens of underutilized and polluted industrial acres along nearby Freight Street. 

“We’re thrilled with the proposal that came through,” Waterbury Economic Development Director Joseph McGrath said. “It’s going to be a total asset to the mission of reviving downtown and making Freight Street accessible to development.” 

The current plan, McGrath said, would have the family that owns the newspaper continue to own the redeveloped property. 

The American Republican Inc. has teamed up with Parker Benjamin Real Estate Services LLC, a Farmington-based investment and real estate services firm with expertise in renovation of historic properties. 

Parker Benjamin was involved in the transformation of an 1860-vintage nut-and-bolt factory in Farmington into the Upson Market Place, which includes luxury residences, shops, galleries, restaurants and offices. It also worked on the transformation of an 1852-era mill complex in Winsted into a mix of shops, galleries, eateries and offices. 

Parker Benjamin has been working with city and state officials quietly for more than a year to prepare the estimated $12 million proposal. The project team has spent more than $100,000 advancing plans. 

Now, the Waterbury Development Corp. is asking the city’s Board of Aldermen to endorse an application for $250,000 in state grant funds to pay for detailed architectural and site planning. The request is scheduled to go before the board on Dec. 9.
 
The city would be applying for funds through the state’s Community Investment Fund 2030 grant program. This state legislator-led initiative launched in 2022 with a mission to invest up to $875 million in development projects in distressed communities over five years. Applications for the latest round are due Dec. 13.
 
According to a draft application, the development team is also seeking state and federal historic tax credits to fund development. There have been meetings with city staff regarding zoning compliance, as well as with the State Office of Historic Preservation concerning the historic implications of the project. 

Completed in 1909, the “Union Station” building was designed in the Renaissance Revival style for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Co., according to the Society of Architectural Historians. The tower’s design was adapted from the 14th-century Torre del Mangia tower in Siena, Italy. 

As railroad ridership declined following World War II, the building was slated for demolition, according to the Society of Architectural Historians. The Pape family purchased it in 1952 and retrofitted the building to house their growing newspaper organization, according to the society. 

Today, the Republican-American building sits along a commuter rail line running between Waterbury and Bridgeport, and right next to a passenger train platform. Officials see this as a perfect opportunity for transit-oriented development. 

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