A centerpiece property of downtown Norwich, The Marina at American Wharf, has new owners and they have plans to bring the once popular spot "back to life."
"It is an opportunity for us, it is an opportunity for the residents of the immediate area, it is an opportunity for the city to bring back life to the downtown area," said Patrick Dwyer, who bought the marina property with his wife, Brittany, about two weeks ago.
The couple, from Somers, had been looking to purchase a marina for years. The Norwich property needs work, but they said they have a lot of plans and are excited for the future.
"We have heard a lot of people say that about 10 or 15 years ago, when everything was up and running, it was at full capacity and it was a great place to hang out and have a boat in a family-style setting," Brittany Dwyer said. "So that is what we are really looking forward to is to bring that back to life."
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The Dwyers are assessing the property - determining what works, what doesn't and how much it will cost to fix it. Their immediate goals include cleaning and sprucing up the property with new paint, new benches, landscaping, etc.
They are working to find a restaurant to come in and fill the restaurant space already on the waterfront, with a goal of opening in the spring. By that time, the couple also has plans to have a tent up in the center space for events.
“So we can host weddings and big events, but also community events," Brittany Dwyer said.
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The marina has 160 slips. The new owners say they are going to shore up the infrastructure and hope to have boaters visit from all over. They plan to upgrade the electricity and hope to eventually reinstall a fueling station.
"We really want to get transients in here also. We hear that fourth of July is huge in Norwich so we are really looking forward to that. We are really close to Mohegan Sun so I know we get a lot of transients for that who just want to spend the weekend going to the casinos," Brittany Dwyer said.
There are opportunities for potential grant funding to help with the revitalization work.
The Norwich Community Development Corporation (NCDC) manages a few million dollars that the city received in American Rescue Plan Act funding specifically for revitalization projects.
"This project folds nicely into Norwich revitalization and we already have an application in from the owners to do some things like the restaurant, which is the first and most prominent piece on this property that probably deserves some attention so that when people come here next spring that restaurant is back in shape," said Kevin Brown, president of NCDC.
The city is also working with the new owners to apply for funding from a state grant program that was established to help distressed municipalities across Connecticut.
"That opportunity and this location is the perfect marriage. It sits geographically in the center, It carries with it the days of old and the promise that everyone sees it can have, and now there is a funding opportunity out there that we might be able to avail ourselves of to really make this thing move," Brown said.
The Dwyers said their plans will take some time. They have big hopes and dreams for the next three to five years and are happy that the city is excited about them.
"It tells us that people really want to see this happen," Brittany Dwyer said.
