Massive Development, Amusement Center Rules Back Before West Hartford Council

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The West Hartford Town Council next week has two key public hearings slated for development/business proposals submitted to the town, then withdrawn, then resubmitted in recent weeks.

Two separate hearings are slated for Tuesday, Dec. 13, at West Hartford Town Hall, 50 S. Main St., West Hartford.

The hearings begin at 6 p.m., with a regular council meeting slated for 7:30 p.m., with action on both proposals possible.

The proposals require land-use commission review, but the council is involved given the special nature of the location of where each plan is being pitched in town.

Both hearings are part of projects that could result in a massive apartment/condominium/retail project in town, as well as new rules making it easier for adult, indoor amusement establishments to operate in town.

Large Apartment/Condo/Retail project

The first hearing Tuesday deals with a proposal that's been on the development backburner since an initial application was withdrawn in September. This hearing starts at 6 p.m.

It has to do with a developer's request to change zoning for a parcel that will be the site of a mixed-use development along Arapahoe Road, LaSalle Road and Farmington Avenue.

The group behind the project is seeking a new designation and inclusion in West Hartford's Special Development District, somthing that requires town council action.

A development group called "The Arapahoe Group" is looking to transform an abandoned office building and parking lot into upscale condominiums and apartments in the center of town.

The condo/apartment project is called "75 LaSalle and Center Park Place" and it would be located at LaSalle Road and Arapahoe Road.

The application was submitted over the summer, but it was withdrawn from both the West Hartford Plan & Zoning Commission and town council in September.

Through attorney Robin Messier Pearson of Glastonbury-based Alter & Pearson, Arapahoe said then it needed more time to tweak its plans to address concerns by town staff and a town review committee over the scope and size of the project.

According to Arapahoe, the proposal was to feature 64 condominiums built at Center Park Place and 18-20 apartments built at 75 LaSalle Road.

The building at 75 LaSalle was to be four stories total with three levels of apartments on top of one level of ground floor retail space that is approximately 3,500 square feet.

Center Park Place, which would be set back from the street, would have four levels of condominiums above three levels of parking, two of which are underground.

Adult, Indoor Amusement Rules

Meanwhile, the council will also have a hearing on a proposal from Blue Back Square, a large retail/entertainment destination at 65 Memorial Road, to better accommodate adult, indoor amusement operations.

This hearing is tentatively slated for 7 p.m.

Proposed rules call for the allowance of indoor recreation facilities to be open until 1 a.m. three nights a week; be permitted to serve alcohol with a café permit; and be able to restrict clientele based on age.

Because Blue Back is in what is termed a "central business district," any change in rules there requires council approval in the form of an ordinance.

The proposed changes would be for operations larger than 15,000 square feet, which appear to focus on large indoor adult amusement operations like Dave & Buster's and other similar establishments.

Pearson, who is also representing Blue Back, said an initial request for this ordinance was withdrawn to give the applicant more time to finalize rule specifics.

For more information on the Arapahoe Group proposal, click on this link.

For more information on the Blue Back adult amusement ordinance plan, click on this link.

For the agenda of the Dec. 13 West Hartford Town Council meeting, click on this link.

From Sept. 22: 'Large Apartment/Condo Project On Hold In West Hartford'

From Sept. 25: 'Blue Back Indoor Amusement Center Plan On Hold In West Hartford'