Affordable Housing Project Topic Of Simsbury Public Hearing Monday

SIMSBURY, CT — The Simsbury Zoning Commission has scheduled a public hearing for Monday on a large, affordable housing apartment building slated to be built in town.

On March 7, the commission voted 6-0 to have the hearing Monday, March 20, at 7 p.m. in the Simsbury Public Library as part of the zoning board's next regular meeting.

"It will let people have their opportunity to ask questions and make comments," Simsbury Zoning Commission Chairman David Rogers Ryan said March 7.

Vessel Technologies Inc. out of New York City, which specializes in building affordable rental housing, is planning to build a four-story, 80-unit apartment building at 446 Hopmeadow St., currently the site of a single-family residence.

While the hearing gives the public an outlet to discuss the proposal, it cannot sway the zoning board to oppose the project just because some may not like it.

Vessel is seeking site plan approval for the development.

Zoning board members opted to conduct a public hearing given the interest the project has generated in the community.

According to a breakdown of the proposed offerings, Vessel's building would feature 77 one-bedroom units and three two-bedrooms units.

"Vessel Technologies, Inc. was founded in 2017, with the goal of addressing the housing affordability crisis," reads a project narrative drafted by Glastonbury-based Alter & Pearson, the law firm representing Vessel.

According to Vessel attorneys, the company specializes in a standardized construction style of housing that allows for affordable living and relatively efficient construction.

"At its inception, Vessel spent three years fully developing an innovative housing product that would provide affordable housing by (1) creating an exceptional standardized design with modern and elegant aesthetics, and (2) utilizing a modular building technique to streamline the building process," wrote Alter & Pearson.

The building would be 85,591 square fete and be located on a site just under 2 acres, according to the law firm. It will have a 94-space parking lot there as well.

So far, the town has received mixed correspondance about the project.

While some worry about the community and infrastructure impacts of such a large facility, others say it represents a means for folks, old or young, to afford living and working in Simsbury amid a housing market that is, more and more, becoming unaffordable.

For all documents related to the 446 Hopmeadow St. apartment building project, click on this link.

For more information on Vessel Technologies, click on this link.

From Feb. 6: 'Simsbury Hearing On Large Apartment Complex Plan Postponed'