WEST HARTFORD — The Town Council is poised to make a decision on the most recent housing development that would bring more affordable housing into West Hartford at its next meeting.
Vessel Technologies, a New York-based developer, originally filed plans in December seeking a zoning change that would allow them to build 112 units of housing at the site of the former Hughes Health and Rehabilitation at 29 Highland St.
The developer pitched those plans to the Town Council at a lengthy public hearing on Feb. 25, the same night the Town Council would go on to give a stamp of approval to redevelop the former University of Connecticut campus into housing and commercial space. The Town Council decided to delay its decision on the Vessel Technologies proposal that night to a special meeting on March 11. Ahead of that meeting, Vessel filed revised plans, bringing the total number of units down from 112 to 108.
But before that, elected officials heard the vision of Vessel, which proposed building the housing under the state's 8-30g affordable housing law, which gives some allowances to developers and makes it more difficult and restrictive for governing boards to deny housing developments that include affordable units.
That means proposals can't be denied because the development might not fit within a municipality's plan of conservation or because of disagreements over traffic impact or the building's density, size, height or design. The proposal also can't be denied because of a supposed lack of compatibility with surrounding properties or the community's character.
Denials can be issued, however, to protect public health and safety. Newtown recently denied a Vessel proposal to build 136 units. West Hartford has received many recent housing developments, but this is the first of them to be proposed under the 8-30g statute.
Josh Levy, Vessel's executive vice president, said his company's goal is to provide not only affordable units, but attainably priced ones as well.
"What became clear... was that there was a fundamental issue that existed in the industry," Levy said. "There were tons and tons of people who were essential to communities who could not afford a wonderful place to live. All of this was built around attainable pricing. What we try to do is deliver a better product at a better price for the market so that more people can afford to live in a Vessel unit."
That is highlighted by offering 33 of its units as affordable housing with expected rent for one-bedroom units to be between $1,319 and $1,583 a month and two-bedroom units to be between $1,644 and $1,985 a month. The rest of the development's units will be market-rate at what Vessel describes as "attainable" pricing. Levy said those units will come in under the rates other new developments are asking.
"We would expect that, looking at the other newly constructed buildings, that we would come in significantly below where they would come in," Levy said.
Vessel's design for the property has changed since it first filed plans, as the developer is now seeking to build two separate four-story buildings rather than the one single building it had previously proposed building.
Ahead of the meeting, the town's Design Review Advisory Commission voted to not recommend that the Town Council give its approval to the proposal, citing its "overall mass and height," adding that it's "out of context with the adjoining neighborhood."
The commission also said that the building's "stark white coloring and blank northernmost and southernmost facades are not compatible with the neighborhood." A few residents spoke at the public hearing against the proposal — mostly citing aesthetics or the impact on traffic, both of which are not suitable reasons for denial under 8-30g.
West Hartford's Planning and Zoning Commission, however, did recommend the Town Council approve the development, saying it is "consistent with, and furthering, the overall vision the Plan of Conservation and Development," particularly in how it adds a diversity of housing and provides "access and availability of housing options to current and future residents."
The Town Council, though, has final say on the development, which would add key affordable housing units to the town's housing stock.
West Hartford has previously signaled its intent to offer at least 10% of its housing stock as being affordable options. Currently, it offers 7.4% of its housing stock as that, but ongoing developments could bring that number up closer to 9%.