New Business Checklist – Important Information for Businesses and Individuals

Avoid Costly Delays and Unanticipated Expenses.

Are you planning to…

Lease a space for your business.
Buy a building for your business.
Renovate your building for an expansion of your business.
Change the use of activity in a building.
Take over an existing business.

Grant & Incentive Program Guidelines, Permit Requirements and Resources New Business Checklist Real Estate

The Town of Manchester would like to help you avoid costly delays and unanticipated expenses by encouraging you to contact the following administrative, building and safety officials early in your planning and decision-making process.

Step 1 – Contact the Downtown Manchester Special Services District (DMSSD)

If you are interested in a property or business location in Downtown Manchester DMSSD staff can assist you in reviewing available properties, provide connections to property owners or agents and coordinate preliminary meetings with relevant town staff. Contact the Downtown Manager, 860 645-2101 or dmssd@manchesterct.gov.

Step 2 – Contact the Zoning Enforcement Officer

To make sure your use is permitted by the Manchester zoning regulations in the building or space you are interested in contact Jim Davis, Zoning Enforcement Officer at 860 647-3057 or e-mail jdavis@manchesterct.gov

Step 3 – Contact the Building Department

To make sure building code will allow your proposed use in the building as it is currently constructed. Or, if renovations or alterations are planned, call the Building Department to ensure that the code does not require a larger scope of work then you anticipated. Contact Greg Smith, Chief Building Official at 860 647-3052 or gsmith@manchesterct.gov OR Jim Roy, Assistant Building Official, at 860 647-3110 or jroy@manchesterct.gov.

Step 4 – Contact the Fire Marshal

To make sure your use of the building, or proposed alterations to the building, will meet all of the requirements of the fire code contact:

The contact for Downtown properties is Lawrence Talbot, Fire Marshall at 860 647-3267 or email ltalbot@manchesterct.gov
The contact for properties within the Eighth Utilities District: Fire Marshal Ken Roback, Phone 860 643-6209 or email kroback@mfd8th.org

If you are a food related business or massage therapy establishment….

Step 5 – Contact the Health Department

To ensure any necessary permits are acquired and requirements are met. Contact Kim Dubanoski at 860 647-3173 or kdubanoski@manchesterct.gov

Once you have settled on a property or business location in the Downtown we can set-up an onsite meeting with relevant Town staff to go over any approvals that will be required. Contact Tana Parseliti, Downtown Manager at 860 645-2101 or tparseliti@manchesterct.gov OR Gary Anderson, Director of Planning and Development at 860 647-3044 or ganderson@manchesterct.gov

For general questions about Town-wide Economic Development, building or space availability, development applications and available incentive programs contact Gary Anderson, Director of Planning and Development at 860 647-3044 or ganderson@manchesterct.gov

Early contact with Town staff will help to make you property acquisition or tenant build out as easy and efficient as possible. We look forward to working with you.

Download the New Business Checklist