Seaside State Park Planning Project

March 14, 2024: 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 the options identified through a Comprehensive Planning Process in which DEEP engaged 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 honoring the architecture and historic use of the site.

DEEP has been engaging in stakeholder outreach to identify the best ways to commemorate the buildings through historic interpretation. DAS has hired a contractor, FHI Studio, to help DEEP facilitate the public outreach portion of the design process. FHI Studio and DEEP have been meeting with various stakeholder groups to gather input on how to best commemorate the historic buildings in the final design. FHI studio will also be conducting broader public surveys and holding a public meeting and will be communicating more information on how the public can participate in these opportunities over the next few months.

No on-site work has been conducted yet at Seaside. DAS is finalizing a competitive formal selection process to select the architectural/engineering firm for the project. After FHI Studio completes the public outreach noted above, the architectural/engineering firm will be using the information and ideas collected during the outreach process to prepare a final design for the Passive Park concept at Seaside State Park.

Seaside State Park Planning Process

Waterford

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 the fall, 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

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.

(Photo by Joel Stocker)

(Photos by Justin Scalera)

• 1932-33 Seaside Plans - Cass Gilbert  
• Superintendents House-1933    
• 1968 Seaside Plans-Raymond Brown Architect
• Ground Floor Plan - Main Hospital Building    
• First Floor Plan - Main Hospital Building    
• Second Floor Plan - Main Hospital Building
• Third Floor and Roof Plans - Main Hospital Building    
• Basement Plan and Foundation Plan - Main Hospital Building  
• First and Second Floor Plans - Duplex Residence     
• Basement Plan - Duplex Residence    
• Attic and Roof Plans - Duplex Residence  
• Basement Plan and First Floor Plan - Nurses Building  
• Second and Third Floor Plan - Nurse's Building      

• EIE
• EIE - Appendix A
• EIE - Appendix B
• EIE - Appendix C
• EIE - Appendix D
• EIE - Appendix E
• EIE - Appendix F
• EIE - Appendix G
• EIE - Appendix H
• EIE Errata (July 11, 2017)

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.

1. A Destination Park
2. An Ecological Park
3. A Passive Park