Breaking ground for Middlebury’s Brookside Memorial Funeral Home are, left to right, Middlebury First Selectman Edward St. John, Maria Elaina Albini, Penny Albini, Raymond A. Albini, Julia Albini and Raymond C. Albini. The family dog, Miss Bentley, was there to supervise. (Submitted photo)
The Albini family, owners of Chase Parkway Memorial/Albini Family Funeral Home in Waterbury, broke ground Saturday for the new funeral home the family is building in Middlebury. As reported by Terrence S. McAuliffe in our May issue, the Middlebury Economic and Industrial Development Commission (EIDC) unanimously approved the design of the funeral home on Benson Road. That approval was a necessary step towards construction approvals from the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Land for the new building, with about five to 10 usable acres fronted on Benson Road, was purchased from the Town of Middlebury in June 2015 by Raymond and Panagiota (Penny) Albini. It was acquired by the town in June 2014 from Baker Residential in lieu of $75,925.07 taxes owed. Zoning regulations were revised in November 2015 to permit funeral homes in Middlebury’s LI-200 zone.
Construction of the 8,000-square-foot building will be managed by structural engineer Joseph L. Calabrese, owner of a company bearing his name in Waterbury. He introduced architect Alphonse K. Kuncas Jr., of CK Associates in Waterbury, and roofing and siding consultant Mario Almeida of Metro Supply in Danbury.
Kuncas used a site plan to describe the rectangular building, which has two carports, two parlors, administrative offices, bathrooms and a crematorium. Parking for 100 cars is included, along with space for a possible 2,000-square-foot expansion. Raymond Albini said the funeral home would be an annex to the one he operates in Waterbury. He said cremation rates are rising nationally and he expects them to rise in Connecticut.
Calabrese said Connecticut field stones or New England mosaic stone, as used on the Moore, O’Brien and Foti building on Straits Turnpike will be used in pillars and columns. Two copper-topped cupolas will follow the theme of the cupola on the Middlebury Historical Society building. Almeida showed samples of PVC cedar shake siding, Timberline asphalt shingles and Azek molding that will be used.
A crematory garden for on-site burial, not fully described in the site plan, is planned for four or five years in the future, Calabrese said, and will be designed by a landscape firm familiar with such designs.
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