At The Tyler Apartment Building, It's Back To School For Seniors

EAST HAVEN, CT —Betty Streeto moved in to her new apartment at the old East Haven High School in late September.

“I can’t explain how happy I am here,” she said as a steady stream of local dignitaries began a tour of The Tyler.

Built under the direction of WinnDevelopment within the three-story core of the 84-year-old former East Haven High School building, The Tyler has 70 apartments for people 55 and over. It includes a movie room, community room, fitness center, craft room, outdoor courtyard, on-site management office, and a lounge.

The $21.5 million project is the first in the United States to use state and federal historic tax credits for a passive house rehabilitation.

“Move in was a joy. The staff is excellent. The place is bright. It’s beautiful," Streeto said. "I’m so happy.” And, it's "fun."

East Haven and state officials joined multifamily developer and property manager Winn Thursday for the opening of The Tyler, a mixed-income apartment community for seniors that is described as being the “first historic adaptive reuse project” in the nation to meet the industry’s strictest standards for energy performance.

“This project is a grand slam for East Haven. It delivers high quality, critically needed senior housing; restores a beautiful, historic landmark; sets a high bar for energy efficiency and sustainability; and, returns a long- vacant property to the tax rolls,” WinnDevelopment president and managing partner Larry Curtis said.

Several residents of The Tyler are former students who attended high school in the building, Curtis said.

Designed and built to meet the Passive House Institute’s rigorous EnerPHit Standard with applicable historic exclusions, The Tyler is on track to certification, expecting to use 20 percent less energy than an ENERGY STAR new construction building.

Winn said that by “repurposing the former school building, the community will avoid 18,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually – the yearly energy use of 1,900 homes. Finally, a 90-kilowatt solar PV system on the roof will contribute to even greater carbon reductions by producing more than 100,000 kilowatt hours of clean, renewable energy every year.”

Mayor Joseph A. Carfora was joined by town Assistant Director of Administration & Management Michelle Benivegna, Public Services Department superintendent of operations Charles Coyle, and the leadership of the police and fire departments, among others, for a tour.

Carfora said the site “holds a very special place in our hearts” as a former student at the school.

"I look forward to continued work with them," he said. "It gives me great pride to see it so handsomely restored while also providing much-needed senior housing." Carfora called WinnDevelopment's craftmanship as "exceptional."

Two thirds of the apartments are already leased. The property includes 67 one-bedroom units and three two-bedroom units. Twenty apartments rent at market rates and 50 others are called "affordable" available at rents ranging from 25 percent to 80 percent of Area Median Income.

According to its website, the market rate for the apartments is $1,400 - $1,560. The “affordable” rents are between $900 and $1000.

Winn officials told Patch that of the 70 apartments, 16 are occupied, more than 70 percent of the affordable apartments are already leased and around 25 percent of the market rate apartments are spoken for.

With the old school lockers remaining, the hallways feel like, well, a school.

“A cool concept,” one tour-goer remarked.

The apartments are bright, modern, with fully equipped kitchens, a breakfast bar, walk-in closets with an open concept layout and plank flooring.

For more information, visit The Tyler website.