Lynda Wellman (now formerly of the New Milford Spectrum) was kind enough to write one of her last articles on the latest happenings of our firm. This is the article that was in the June 10, 2009 New Milford Spectrum:
“From his new location in the former Beach Building in New Milford, Paul Szymanski and a staff of nine offer one-stop, land-use services for home-owners, builders, contractors and developers.
A civil engineer with a degree from UConn, Mr. Szymanski, 30, grew up in Roxbury and became the assistant town engineer in Windsor following graduation. From there he moved on to a private engineering firm in Southington, and later to New Milford. “I’ve learned a lot from other engineers,” he said, adding, “I’ve been on both sides of the fence” — municipal and private. When he heard engineer and surveyor Art Howland was thinking of retiring, Mr. Szymanski jumped at the chance to return to the area he loves.
After working in the firm for a while, he bought Arthur H. Howland & Associates in November 2005, became thebusiness president and set up offices at the corner of Bridge and South Main Streets.
In January, the firm moved a block or so west to 30 Bridge, at the corner of West Street, where it now takes up most of the lower level of the building some are now calling the Farley Building, named for Jack Farley, who recently restored it.
Howland’s is a full-service civil engineering, land-use planning, land surveying, and environmental services firm. With a soil scientist on staff, the firm can do wetlands flagging, and office manager Kathy Castagnetta, New Milford’s former Zoning Enforcement Officer, is a certified planner.
“We do all kinds of work,” said Mr. Szymanski. He remarked the firm has done projects as simple as surveying a property line for a fence, to proposing zoning regulation changes or large developments for clients throughout the county. He said with the different professionals collaborating in house and “with staff with construction background, we can take a project from beginning to end.”
“We work with clients to find solutions in the most cost-effective manner,” Mr. Szymanski said. “We look at different ways a project can be constructed and built.”
“He’s very good in front of commissions, very knowledgeable,” said developer Joe Enright of Sherman. “He keeps the town in mind, as well as the developer,” said Mr. Enright, who noted Mr. Szymanski designed the proposed building to replace the Barton House on East Street to fit into the neighborhood. “He did a great job,” Mr. Enright opined. The firm also worked on Mr. Enright’s 36-unit apartment complex proposal — Overlook at Fort Hill — behind Big Y on what the developer called “a tough site.” The ground-breaking for the apartment complex is expected in the fall. Mr. Enright said they are planning to start on the Barton House soon, but has no fixed date.
The two men met in town hall in a chance encounter, said Mr. Enright, who remarked Mr. Szymanski is frank about what will work, and about cost-effective alternatives. “He keeps things affordable,” said Mr. Enright. “I’ll always work with him, even in another town.”
“The devil is in the details,” Mr. Szymanski said. “We provide plans with the details needed to make approvals smoother.” Mr. Szymanski lives in the Candlewood Trails lake community with his girlfriend, Heather Levanti, a private music teacher, and dog Sadie. Despite growing up in Roxbury, he said he’d never been on Candlewood Lake until 2005. “I fell in love with the lake,” he said. Mr. Szymanski said going home from work is like heading on vacation. “It’s so beautiful.”
The firm is doing work on environmentally sensitive lake-front sites and has added a new “niche business” assisting with estate planning for those who want to protect a portion of large tracts of land. “We do development analysis to see what could be developed on the property… the development value,” he said.
The firm’s new web site, Mr. Szymanski said, will soon have posted the land-use regulations, all the contact information and application forms for towns in Litchfield County.
“We’re starting to do more and more in Fairfield [County] too,” Mr. Szymanski said.
It’s not all work at Howland’s offices. “We have a lot of fun,” said Mr. Szymanski, who explained work has to be enjoyable. The refrigerator/pantry at the office is kept stocked with employees’ favorite beverages, foods and fruit, said their boss. Known for his self-deprecating sense of humor, Mr. Szymanski dresses as Uncle Sam to encourage voters on election day and can also be seen wearing a gorilla outfit in the Village Center on Halloween.
For information:
Arthur H. Howland & Associates, P.C.
30 Bridge St., Suite #3
New Milford, CT 06776
Phone: (860) 354-9346
Fax: (860) 350-4419
https://ahhowland..com
Our firm performs the following services: Property Survey, Topographic Survey, ALTA Survey, Zoning Location Survey, Hydrology & Stormwater Management, Stormwater System Design, Culvert Analysis & Design, Sedimentation & Erosion Control Plans, Septic System Design, Sanitary Sewer Design, Utility Layout, Roadway Design, Driveway Design, Sight Distance Analysis, Parking Lot Layout & Design, Traffic Circulation & Studies, Floodplain Studies & Analysis, Cuts & Fills Analysis, Low Impact Development, Wetland Soil & Watercourse Delineation, Soil Investigation & Testing, Local, State, & Federal Land Use Permitting. Contact us today at (860) 354-9346 to have us assist you with your next project.