FAIRFIELD — The former Kohl’s site at 290 Tunxis Hill Road, Fairfield, has begun site work in preparation for its planned interior fit-out to accommodate new tenants, Aldi and Floor & Décor.
The site’s new owner, Michael Berkowitz, anticipates that interior construction will begin within the next two weeks, and he plans for tenant occupancy by mid-2021.
In June of 2019, Berkowitz purchased the Kohl’s property and two adjoining parcels totaling 6.9 acres. The purchase price was $12.5 million dollars. The parcel occupied by Russell Speeder Car Wash at 620 Villa Avenue will remain as such, and plans for 160 Greenfield Street, currently a parking lot, has not been solidified.
The former Kohl’s, with 101,000 square foot interior space, will be split. Aldi will occupy approximately 19,000 square feet; Floor & Décor, a national chain with 120 locations, will occupy the larger footprint of approximately 82,000 square feet.
Berkowitz is a Fairfield county resident whose family founded the Fairfield County based Duchess Restaurant chain in 1956. He is a commercial real estate developer owning several properties throughout Fairfield County, including the CVS site at 961 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield, and the 150,000 Big Y shopping/restaurant plaza at 401 Bridgeport Avenue, Shelton.
The project team includes local zoning attorney Bill Fitzpatrick and Architect Pat Rose of Rose Tiso & Co. Architects in Fairfield. Jeff Raucci of Bismark Construction in Milford is the project’s contractor.