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By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The former Putnam Foundry, which languished for more than 20 years, has a new owner.
The 9.4-acre property on Furnace Street, along Rt. 12 and on Providence Street, was sold by the Peter Palo Living Trust to WD Investments, LLC for $600,000, according to town records.
It is zoned commercial but may have a proposed use as Industrial.
WD Investments, LLC, was incorporated Jan. 14, 2021, and the two principals are Shawn P. Deary of Totem Pole Drive, Thompson; and Dustin Wilson of Chestnut Hill in Dayville. The company agent is listed as Thomas Borner.
The property, owned at the time by Peter Palo, was devastated by fire Aug. 31, 2007. Several buildings were burned. It took the Putnam Fire Department and five other fire departments more than eight hours to bring the fire under control.
In a March 2008 story in the Putnam Town Crier former Fire Marshal Normand Perron said it was apparent it was arson at the Furnace Street site when firefighters and police personnel arrived. Perron said photos taken upon arrival showed five fires; four of them stemming from four stacks of pallets, all far away from each other. There was no electricity in the building. That building, along with eight other buildings, were owned by Peter Palo, according to former Town Administrator Douglas M. Cutler.
‘We knew the fire was set,’ Perron said in 2008. Some witnesses came forward at the fire scene and Perron said police started interviewing and taking statements immediately. Then the tedious process of collecting evidence began.”
After seven months of intense investigation, two juveniles were arrested in March 2008 and charged with first-degree arson, conspiracy to commit first-degree arson, second-degree burglary, second-degree conspiracy to commit burglary, reckless endangerment, conspiracy to commit reckless endangerment and risk of injury.
In 2008 Cutler said that CME Architects, Engineers, Scientists and Surveyors of Woodstock recently reported their findings about what hazardous materials were found at the site and what would be needed to make the property safe. If the town pays for the rehabilitation of the property, a lien would be put on the property, Cutler said. If the area is zoned Industrial it might make a good second industrial park for the town, if something could be worked out with owner Palo, Cutler added.
In the Trustee Deed filed with the Putnam Town Clerk May 17, 2023, WD Investments agree they are subject to the following encumbrances: “Any and all provisions of any ordinance, municipal regulation, public or private law. Any assessments or pending assessments for which a lien or liens have not as yet been filed, if any. Any provisions, if applicable, or any inland/wetlands or coastal wetland statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations. As partial consideration for this conveyance, the herein Grantee agrees to assume and pay all real estate taxes and other municipal charges hereafter coming due on the within described premises.”
According to Connecticut Genealogy – History of Manufacturing, the company was incorporated in 1884 and made hot water heaters and “Plummer” steam heaters and boilers.
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