Once-Controversial West Hartford Apartment Complex To Expand

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A once-controversial upscale apartment complex in West Hartford will grow by 18 units after a town council vote earlier this month.

The West Hartford Town Council voted 8-0 April 11 to approve ammending the town's special design district to facilitate the expansion of "The Residences at Steele Road," a 190-unit apartment complex located at 243 Steele Road.

Changing the special design district or "SDD" is within the purview of the council.

Owners Steele Road LLC, which applied for the design district revision, is planning to build an eighth building on its campus there with 18 total units, consisting of two studio units, eight one-bedroom apartments and eight two-bedroom units, including one set aside as "affordable housing."

According to a letter sent to the town council by Steele Road LLC representative Geoffrey W. Sager out of Farmington, the existing apartment complex would attract more of the kind of residents who already live there.

"Many of the residents are well-educated professionals that value quality and a quiet, convenient place to live," wrote Sager to the council. "Additionally, currently 25 percent are empty nesters and retirees who want to maintain their connection to West Hartford, but do not necessarily want to own a home in town."

Sager pitched the new building expansion at a special council hearing April 11.

To accommodate the new building, the applicant is revising its borders with abutting property owners in a "land swap," according to Sager's memo.

Because those new boundaries are not within the special design district, the district must be modified to allow for the new building on Steele Road.

The complex, with the added location, would be about 15.5 acres. It is located near the University of Saint Joseph, the McAuley Retirement Community and the Saint Mary Home.

The council approval and hearing was a far cry from 2014, when a parade of project opponents at a public hearing that August pushed a similar vote for the overall project until, nearly, 3:30 a.m.

At the time, many were concerned the large apartment complex wouldn't fit in with the residential neighborhood in a more pristine part of town.

But, according to West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor, the apartment complex, once built a few years later, has seamlessly become a part of the local community.

"This is a unique development. This is something that is not repeated in our community and it is, obviously, highly desireable," Cantor, a Democrat, said. "I have no doubt that this will be a tremendous success."

A key element fueling the council's approval of the addition is the fact West Hartford would be adding 18 units to its housing stock, with one unit set aside for affordable housing (defined as someone having 80 percent of the town's median income).

"We do have a housing crunch here in West Hartford and across the state. This isn't going to solve the problem, but it is a piece of the puzzle to getting us there," said council member Debra Polun, a Democrat.

"This is a fantastic thing. These affordable units in particular developments like this do change lives," said West Hartford Deputy Mayor Liam Sweeney, a Democrat. "I look forward to seeing this happen."

Republicans on the council agreed.

"It's like a lottery ticket, these units. There is a demand for it," said Republican Councilman Alberto Cortes said.

Republican Councilperson Mary Fay did say she had some concerns about the overall speed of development in town, but said this particular application shouldn't be penalized for that.

As a result, she approved the addition as well.

"I do have concerns about the overall trajectory we are on now. But it wouldn't be fair for me to penalize this development," Fay said. "It's adding to the community that you have already started."

For the minutes of the April 11 West Hartford Town Council meeting, click on this link.

For details of the apartment complex expansion plan, click on this link and scroll to Page 25.

From Aug. 27, 2014: 'West Hartford Town Council Approves High-End Steele Road Apartment Plan'