"TORRINGTON The Planning & Zoning Commission approved an application for a temporary modular office trailer to be added to the FuelCell Energy, Inc. building located at 539 Technology Park Dr. during the board’s regular meeting Wednesday night.
Gordon S. Brooks, director of plant engineering and EHS at FuelCell, submitted the application on behalf of the company and explained the need for this temporary structure stems from a larger plan to expand their current building in the future. The modular office trailer will accommodate new professional staff as these plans move forward.
City Planner Martin Connor explained the project through a memo to the commission. It was his recommendation to approve the temporary office trailer. The commission did indeed approve the temporary structure.
“They don’t have enough space. Isn’t that great?” Connor said.
Connor commented that this is a positive because it means more jobs in Torrington.
FuelCell, “is an integrated fuel cell company that designs, manufactures, installs, operates and services stationary fuel cell power plants,” according to the company’s website.
FuelCell is a, “leading global fuel cell company.”
The company’s headquarters is located in Danbury and their manufacturing facility resides in Torrington.
The future addition could possibly double the size of their current plant building.
The temporary office trailer, which will measure 24 feet by 64 feet, will attach to another temporary trailer that currently sits on the property. The first trailer was approved in May 2007. Connor explained in his memo that the temporary structure meets the required setbacks for the IP, Industrial Park Zone, where the plant is located, and no additional parking or site improvements are required.
Representatives from FuelCell were not immediately available to comment on their new addition.
The state’s Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority recently gave a $5.5 million long-term loan to FuelCell to build cells that will be used in a Bridgeport based generation plant. The loan will help FuelCell add or sustain at least 150 jobs." Less