There are so many medical and health care-related projects planned for, or already operating, along Mt Pleasant Road just east of the Bethel town line that Newtown’s Economic Development Coordinator Betsy Paynter has nicknamed the stretch “Medical Mile.”

Several of those developments have been attracted to Newtown thanks to a business incentive plan that grants limited property tax abatements to developers who build or improve commercial projects in town. The latest to come before the Board of Selectmen is a new medical facility being developed by Hunter Gregory, the real estate division for Maplewood Senior Living.

If approved, it would be the second Hunter Gregory development to receive the benefit. The first was granted for a similarly outfitted medical facility at 164 Mt Pleasant Road that will be occupied in the coming months primarily by an outpatient dialysis center.

Andrew Deery, vice president of real estate with Hunter Gregory, joined Ms Paynter before the selectmen February 17, after the Economic Development Commission recommended the business incentive plan application for 170 Mt Pleasant Road.

The benefit for the existing 164 Mt Pleasant Road provides a 45 percent abatement over three years maximum.

The new site, on the opposite, westerly side of the driveway leading to Maplewood Senior Living, will contain a two-story, 30,000-suare-foot medical office building including an elevator, sprinklers, appropriate parking, and a large retaining wall needed due to the slope of the land, according to a memo from Ms Paynter.

The memo states that the estimated development costs of the new facility will be $3.8 million. Additional work will be needed along Route 6/Mt Pleasant Road, per a request from the state Department of Transportation that will involve some road widening to apparently accommodate a turn lane.

Hunter Gregory estimates approximately 20 to 30 new permanent jobs will be created locally as a result of this development, which is also expected to add value to the existing real property, which is currently assessed at $181,360 with a tax bill of $6,041.

Should the value increase to approximately $4 million once investments are completed, the annual real property tax bill has the potential to increase to approximately $133,240, Ms Paynter stated. As a result, the EDC has determined using the program schedule, that 45 percent of the increase in assessment may be forgiven for a period of four years.

Should the real property assessment increase to approximately $3,818,240 the tax abatement would be approximately $279,000 over the four years, the memo states.

Speaking to selectmen about the project, Mr Deery said the ground floor tenant for the new facility is related to the Western Connecticut Health Network and Danbury Hospital. He said the interim tax abatement benefit would be passed through to building tenants for the duration of the program.

Following the presentation, selectmen unanimously approved the request. A similar approval will now be sought before the Board of Finance and the Legislative Council.