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February 27, 2025

NY investor with growing CT warehouse portfolio plans up to $1.75M in upgrades to South Windsor property

John Jenks; Ace Aerial Photography 555 Nutmeg Road North, South Windsor
By Michael Puffer

A New York-based investment company is planning up to $1.75 million in renovations to a 112,000-square-foot South Windsor warehouse to accommodate its tenant, automobile tires, lubricant and parts distributor U.S. Autoforce.

U.S. Autoforce bought tire distributor Max Finkelstein in early 2022, but Finkelstein’s owners held on to the South Windsor property, located at 555 Nutmeg Road North.

About a year later, the property was bought by a subsidiary of New York-based Snowball Developments, an industrial real estate investment company that has built up a portfolio of nine Connecticut warehouse buildings since 2021. Snowball has focused on buying older industrial assets with potential to add value.

Now, Snowball plans to spend between $1.5 million and $1.75 million renovating loading access to the building, as well as expanding parking and outdoor storage, according to its president, Brian Ker.

Ker said his company acquired the South Windsor property as U.S. Autoforce’s lease was nearing its expiration. The tire and auto parts distributor was initially contemplating relocation, including a move to a newly built facility. But renovation plans for the 555 Nutmeg Road North property make it a competitive option for the existing tenant, Ker said. 

Snowball bought the property with the expectation that it would likely renovate and secure a new tenant. But Snowball would be “extremely pleased” to keep the existing tenant in place while modernizing the property, Ker said. 

Snowball has applied to the town of South Windsor for a site plan modification. Its plan calls for the demolition of a 3,010-square-foot “appendage” to the building, allowing for upgrades to existing loading docks and the addition of seven new docks. Seven existing loading docks and one existing drive-in door would be retained.

The proposed renovation would include additional paving and site work. It would create expanded loading areas and improved maneuvering capacity for trailers; new storage for up to 75 trailers; and three new car parking areas with a total of 131 spaces.

The plan also calls for new landscaping and the addition of more lighting, which will be “dark sky” compliant.

South Windsor’s Inland Wetlands Agency signed off on the plan on Feb. 19. It now requires a site plan modification approval through the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Snowball’s design and construction team includes: Aldrich Construction Co., of Manchester; construction manager Lincoln Property Co., of Hartford; engineering and architectural firm Design Professionals Inc., of South Windsor; traffic engineer F.A. Hesketh & Associates, of East Granby; and JMM Wetland Consulting Services LLC, of Newtown.

U.S. Autoforce employs about 22 people at the Nutmeg Road South warehouse, according to Snowball’s application. 

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