New 16-Unit Residential Building Proposed In Glenville

GREENWICH, CT — In order to meet what they say is an "unsatisfied demand" in the rental housing market, the developers of The Mill in Glenville are proposing a new 16-unit, two-and-a-half story residential building at 6 Glenville St., according to documents submitted to the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission.

The new units would be built within The Mill property adjacent to the "Mansion" building along Glenville Street on the west side of the complex.

The building is proposed to be 23,432 square feet with 19 total parking spaces, documents state. There would be two studio units; two 3-bedroom units; six single-bedroom units; and six 2-bedroom units.

John Tesei, attorney for applicant The Mill Owners Company LLC, which includes developers Steve Schacter and Eric Schwartz, said there is a need in Glenville for "rental family-size, 21st century-style dwellings."

That need, Tesei said, was highlighted by the fact that 100 percent of the units for The Mill were rented in 2021 prior to their actual completion.

"Steve and Eric have taken note of the need in the market as demonstrated by the success of the newly converted dwelling units and have determined that they would like to increase the number of dwelling units at The Mill to meet unsatisfied needs," Tesei said in documents filed with the town.

Schacter's uncle, Ralph Schacter, and Schwartz's father, Sy Schwartz, both developers in their own right, bought the property at 10 Glenville St., in 1981 after the GAF Corporation closed down operations of a felt mill and announced intentions to sell.

The two renovated and restored a building which came to be known as the 1881 Building, and built a new structure called the 1981 Building to create a premier suburban corporate office location.

But when the office market began to have some challenges in recent years, Steve Schacter and Eric Schwartz stepped in with an idea to redevelop the property again in to luxury rental apartments.

The Mill offers 59 residences across the two existing buildings: 33 apartments in the 1981 Building, and 26 in the 1881 Building.

The landscaping in the walkable complex was redone with new native plantings, riverside walking opportunities and new gathering spaces for residents, as well as new site lighting and signage throughout.

The property bisects the Byram River with a pastoral mill pond and a dramatic waterfall.

There has been an ongoing effort in recent years to enhance the Glenville section of Greenwich through traffic corridor improvements and aesthetic improvements.

The item has not yet been scheduled for a pre-application review by the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission.

The pre-application process allows for a non-binding discussion with the commission about the pros and cons of a proposal before a substantial investment is made in developing plans, reports and studies.