Decision Postponed Again For Massive WeHa Development

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The town's top land-use board will have a special meeting later this month to conduct the first major action on what may be West Hartford's largest-ever development.

With a busy agenda full of business Wednesday night, the West Hartford Plan and Zoning Commission/Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency pushed off deliberations and possible action on a massive development project planned at the old University of Connecticut-Hartford campus site.

The PZC, acting in its IWWA capacity, unanimously voted to schedule a special meeting for Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 7 p.m. at West Hartford Town Hall, 50 S. Main St., to deliberate a wetlands permit in connection with the development.

Board members didn't discuss the proposal other than to vote to postpone deliberations.

The developer, "West Hartford 1," purchased the 58-acre site in January 2022 and has filed applications under the names WEHA Development Group LLC and WEHA Development Group East LLC. The working name for the project is "Oakwood Park."

One component at 1700 Asylum Ave. calls for the construction of four multi-story residential apartment buildings.

Another component at 1800 Asylum Ave. called for the construction of 14 new buildings to have a diverse array of uses, ranging from mixed-use to housing to retail/commercial buildings.

However, the wetlands application for the retail/commercial portion of the project, 1800 Asylum Ave., was withdrawn amid delays and questions from commission members and the public.

The 1700 Asylum Ave. wetlands application, the housing aspect, is still before the town.

Wednesday's proceedings came after multiple lengthy hearings on plans to transform the campus.

Many speakers Nov. 29, Dec. 11 and Dec. 13 expressed concerns about the proposal's environmental and community impacts, worries that prompted a delay in one application and the withdrawal of the other.

The commission closed the public hearing on Dec. 13, but opted to push back deliberations and a decision until after the holidays.

Redevelopment of the site, which was the UConn-Hartford branch from 1970 to 2017, has been part of town conversations for years after the campus relocated to downtown Hartford.

What was initially before the commission were wetlands applications for 1700 and 1800 Asylum Ave., addresses located near wetlands, resulting in the need for an IWWA permit.

Facets of the development include multi-family residential housing; boutique-style retail components; restaurants; medical offices; a spa; an organic neighborhood market; public parks walking areas, trails, and ballfields; and a structured parking component.

Eventually, a wetlands permit will be necessary for 1800 Asylum Ave. and a new wetlands application will need to be submitted.

Then, the commission — acting as a PZC — will then address new applications on the zoning side, meaning constructions is still a long ways off and the town has lots of work to do beforehand.

From Dec. 14, 2023: 'West Hartford Development Of UConn Site Hits Speed Bump'

For the latest public documents associated with this proposal, click on this link and scroll to 1700 Asylum Ave.