Seaside State Park Planning Project

April 22, 2023: DEEP shares update on Seaside and Contact Survey for Interested Stakeholders
DEEP has been working over the past months with the CT Department of Administrative Services (DAS) who will be managing the development project at Seaside State Park. In February, DEEP announced $7.1 million in Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to implement the “passive park” design for Seaside. The Passive Park concept was one of four options identified through a Comprehensive Planning Process in which DEEP engaged in with local leaders, community members, and stakeholders. The Passive Park concept includes the removal of the deteriorated buildings; the implementation of restrooms, picnic areas, and walking trails; improvements to the shoreline area and parking area; and other elements. The project will also include historic interpretive elements regarding past uses of the site.

DAS will be starting the procurement process to hire a professional design firm that will lead the formal design process for the passive park concept for Seaside State Park. In the meantime, DEEP is finalizing plans for meeting with interested stakeholders that will help inform the historic interpretation that will be incorporated into the ultimate passive park design. We anticipate kicking off this effort in June, and in anticipation of that, we encourage interested stakeholder groups or individuals to fill out the brief contact survey at the link below to help us communicate progress as we move forward.

Contact Survey: https://forms.office.com/g/ypasK4PdVy

Seaside State Park Planning Process

Waterford

February 1, 2023 - DEEP Announces Funding and Path Forward to Improve Seaside State Park
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced today funding for improvements at Seaside State Park in Waterford. See details in the February 1, 2023 Press Release.

July 2, 2019 - The Seaside State Park RFP process has concluded with no award.

DEEP and officials from the Department of Economic and Community Development and the Department of Administrative Services will meet with local officials, developers, and others to determine next steps. The park is open as a place for passive recreation activities including walking, fishing and birdwatching. The buildings on the property remain closed to the public.

(Photo by Joel Stocker)




(Photos by Justin Scalera)

July 2018

RFP Amendment - July 26, 2018

Answers to Selected Questions received for Seaside 18 RFP (updated July26, 2018)

June 2018

Answers to Selected Questions received for Seaside 18 RFP (updated June 20, 2018)

Historic Plans and Existing Conditions Drawings

April 2018

Answers to Selected Questions received for Seaside 18 RFP (updated May 17, 2018)

March 2018

Request For Proposals (RFP) for Seaside State Park

(The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) uses BizNet as a central database and the official online informational tool for companies looking to do business with the State of Connecticut executive branch agencies. The Seaside RFP and other documents are linked to Biznet’s State Contracting Portal, as well. (Use "Search Solicitations" with Keyword "Seaside" )

January 2018

In accordance with the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA), the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection completed a Record of Decision for Seaside State Park. On January 9, 2018, DEEP submitted the Record of Decision to the Office of Policy and Management. The document can be found in the two following links:

June 2017

An Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) was prepared pursuant to the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act for Seaside State Park in Waterford, CT. A public hearing on the EIE was held on July 31, 2017, at the Waterford Town Hall Auditorium.

If you have questions about the EIE, the public hearing, or similar matters, please contact Michael Lambert at 860-424-3030.

August 2016

As part of Seaside State Park's Environmental Impact Evaluation, the scoping process, which encourages public review and comment, held a public scoping meeting on August 24, 2016.

Connecticut Environmental Policy Act -- Public Scoping Presentation -- August 24, 2016

Seaside State Park Master Plan

June 2016

Preferred Master Plan for Seaside - May 25, 2016

PKF Consulting Seaside State Park Redevelopment Feasibility Study

May 2016

Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and Administrative Services (DAS) - Division of Construction Services, hosted a final public meeting on Wednesday May 25, at 6 p.m., in the Waterford Town Hall Auditorium, 15 Rope Ferry Road, Waterford.

The state agencies, along with Sasaki Associates, Inc., and the master planning firm of Oak Park Architects, LLC, presented the Master Plan, based upon the recommendations and interests expressed by the public throughout the master planning process, which began in January, 2015. Since that time, feedback has been obtained through public meetings, surveys, and a dedicated website.

An intensive analysis of the National Register-listed buildings to determine the market for adaptive re-use of the historic buildings was conducted by PKF Consulting, USA. PKF Consulting conducted a feasibility study to determine whether market demand was sufficient for a public/private partnership to restore the buildings at Seaside as a state park lodge. Their analysis indicates that a state park lodge of approximately 100 rooms and associated amenities such as a spa, meeting space, and restaurant would be attractive to the hospitality development community, based upon anticipated growth and demand for lodging in the greater Waterford area.

View the full PKF Consulting Seaside State Park Redevelopment Feasibility Study.

The next steps in the process envisioned by DEEP include: a detailed review of the PKF report; an environmental analysis of the site as part of a more detailed planning process; and the potential for an RFP to solicit proposals from private parties for the build out and operation of a state park lodge. There will be opportunities at various points in the process for further public comment and input.

A series of meetings were scheduled to provide information about the project and for the public to provide feedback on their ideas for future use of the Seaside lands for park activities and potential adaptive re-use ideas for the buildings, consisting of the Superintendent’s House, the Nurses Quarters, the Duplex and the Sanatorium building.

On Wednesday evening, March 25 at 6:30 pm at the Waterford Town Hall, state officials and their design team held an open house on the Seaside State Park Master Plan. The project team gave a short presentation on site, building and market analysis conducted to-date; and a report-back on input received to-date from stakeholders and the general public. Then, open conversation designed to facilitate one-on-one conversation between the community, State officials, and the design team occurred.

The Seaside State Park Master Plan Presentation Open House 2 explained the results of the first survey conducted to provide public input into the planning process. The presentation included three options based on that public input:

A Destination Park
An Ecological Park
A Passive Park

Meeting schedule:

Date	Time	Location
Wednesday, May 25, 2016	6:00 pm	Waterford Town Hall - Auditorium 15 Rope Ferry Road Waterford
Wednesday March 25, 2015	6:30 pm	Waterford Town Hall - Auditorium 15 Rope Ferry Road Waterford
Wednesday February 4, 2015	6:30 - 8:30 p.m.	Waterford Town Hall - Auditorium 15 Rope Ferry Road Waterford
Monday December 15, 2014	7 p.m.	Waterford Town Hall - Auditorium 15 Rope Ferry Road Waterford