A View of the Valley Economy -- Beacon Falls

Bill Purcell, President, Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce

The fifth stop on our Valley Economic Tour is Beacon Falls. 

With a population of 6,100 residents, Beacon Falls is the smallest community in the Valley, but boasts a land area double the size of Derby with 10 square miles, much of it occupied by the Naugatuck State Forest.  Among the significant development in Beacon Falls are the following:

Beacon Falls Energy Park has been proposed as a state-of-the-art renewable energy project using Fuel Cell Technology to produce clean energy.  The project is a 63.3 Megawatt plant to be located on a 25-acre former sand and gravel pit owned by O&G Industries in an industrially-zoned area adjacent to Route 8.  Other partners in the project include FuelCell Energy of Danbury and Torrington, a global leader in the design, manufacture and operation of fuel cell power plants and CT Energy & Technology, LLC, a Middletown-based development company.  If approved and built, this project will have a substantial impact on the New England Energy markets as well as the Town's Grand List.

Murtha Industrial Park continues to enjoy great success and recently recruited Nordco as a tenant.  Nordco is a major supplier to the North American Class 1 Railroads, regional and short-line railroads and public transit systems.  Other park tenants include Thule US and Alcoa Baker's Choice.

Chatfield Farms, a distinctive active adult community  is now under the ownership of EG Home, a partnership of David Earp and Matthew Gilchrist.  Originally developed by Wyndham Homes, Chatfield Farms is located on 140 acres, and is now entering a new phase of development.  The project contains the magnificent Fieldstone Club, a 10,000 square foot complete with a library, fitness center, game room, swimming pool and tennis courts.

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