Controversial WeHa Apartment Plan OK'd By Council

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A proposal to transform an abandoned synagogue into apartments cleared a key hurdle last month, with the West Hartford Town Council giving its nod.

But the sometimes emotional decision came with many residents opposing new housing, fearful of traffic and social impacts of a new apartment complex and lower-income folks living there.

Council members from both sides of the aisle, though, stated it is important to offer housing for all demographics in a community that requires all types of workers to function.

As a result, the council on Oct. 24 voted 8-1, with GOP Councilor Mary Fay the lone dissenter, to tweak the town's zoning regulations to allow for the synagogue site to become a multi-family residential apartment complex. It was the last meeting before Tuesday's, Nov. 7 elections.

Trout Brook Realty Advisors Inc. is proposing to transform the former Agudas Achim Synagogue at 1244 N. Main St. into a multi-family residential complex featuring one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment units, 49 in all with some of the units being affordable housing.

The council decision came after a massive, nearly three-hour public hearing featuring an in-depth presentation by the developers and testimony from folks for and against the project.

Most, though, were against the plan, expressing concerns about traffic impacts, neighborhood changes and negative property value changes associated with more apartments in that area.

Other speakers supported the measure, saying such housing, much of it affordable, would benefit lower-income families and allow them to live in West Hartford.

Local leaders have set a goal of increasing more affordable housing in town.

Because the proposed zone change is within the town's "Special Development District," it also required council review prior to land-use board review.

Emotional Council Members

Republican Councilman Alberto Cortes said "yes" to the project, adding affordable housing is critical for nonprofit workers, school workers and healthcare workers, among other fields.

He touched on the comments of project critics, who openly feared about the types of people who might live in a more affordable housing situation in West Hartford, which is seen as more affluent.

"Those are some people who would live in this development," Cortes said of community professionals.

"So who's going to live there? People who work in the community. People who need a place to stay," he said.

"We owe it to some of these people to live in dignity," said Cortes, who said he himself grew up in affordable, government-subsidized housing. "We owe it to our unsung heroes who deserve a place to stay."

Choking back tears, an emotional Councilperson Tiffani McGinnis, a Democrat, denounced critic comments about the type of people who would live there.

She addressed those who claimed an affordable housing development would increase crime in town.

McGinnis said the people who would live there are good, hard-working folks, such as herself decades ago and today.

"The comments about crime really hit me hard," McGinnis said. "As a single mom, I would have qualified for one of these apartments. I wonder if people look at me now and think that I'm a criminal. Probably not.

"The only difference between the person I am now and the person I was then is 30 years and a change in income level," said McGinnis, who voted "yes" to the change.

"I will be supporting this property for all the women who are looking to start over after leaving a bad situation, for all the families who just want a nice place to live with great schools."

Republican Fay, the lone council dissenter to the proposal, said the comments of opponents critical of the project deserve the attention of the council.

"You know I'm not a group-think person. I'm a contrarian and peoples' input means the world to me," Fay said. "There are too many people who live in this town that feel none of us care whatsoever."

"I'm very concerned. We change zoning around here like we change our underwear," Fay said.

"We've done a ton of development in this town. We've done a lot of low-income housing in this town. I'm not opposed to that," Fay said. "I do not support this project because I don't like changing zoning crazily."

The homeowners and those living in the area deserve to be heard, she said.

"I don't like zoning changes just for the heck of it," Fay said.

"The people who would live near this building? The people who would be neighbors to this building? They have rights too. And I'm sticking up for their rights. So I am not going to support this project," she continued.

What's next?

Fay's opposition aside, the project sailed through with bipartisan support and, now, it must go to West Hartford's land-use agencies before construction can start.

The project is before West Hartford's Design Review Committee and, following a recommendation from that board, it will go before the West Hartford Plan & Zoning Commission.

The building became open to development in 2019, when the congregation dissolved and it has been vacant since.

Earlier this summer, Trout Brook Realty Advisors Inc. agreed to a purchase agreement with the synagogue, paving the way for its apartment proposal.

Trout Brook is looking to turn the 1.83-acre site into 24 one-bedroom units, 23 two-bedroom units, and two three-bedroom units.

Some of the existing building will be re-used and repurposed, but much of it will be demolished to make way for new construction.

For the minutes of the Oct. 24 West Hartford Town Council meeting, click on this link.

For all documents related to this proposal, click on this link.

From Sept. 22: 'Old West Hartford Synagogue Site May Become Apartment Complex'