A downtown New Britain building long plagued by vacancy and complaints about squatters has been given new life, as developer Amit Lakhotia completes a three-year, $2.7 million transformation of the Doris Building’s upper floors into 24 rental apartments.
For more than a decade, the top two stories of the three-story brick building at 27 Main St. — built in 1918 and once used as a boarding house — sat unused, even as businesses continued to operate on the ground floor. Mayor Erin Stewart said she remembers fielding calls from downtown merchants soon after she took office 12 years ago, concerned about squatters in the empty space.
“Any opportunity you have to add apartments in your downtown where people haven’t been living for decades is a win,” Stewart said Friday during a tour through the nearly completed renovation. “To see life in 27 Main St., knowing the problems that had been centered around this building for decades, is very nice, because now you are going to have people living here and additional activity.”
Lakhotia, a Westport-based investor and former dentist who immigrated from India, purchased the 29,948-square-foot property for $1.1 million in early 2021. It marked his first significant redevelopment project after building a portfolio of smaller apartment buildings.
The result is a mix of studios and one-bedroom units that will rent for $1,300 to $1,600 a month, with move-ins expected to begin in September, Lakhotia said.
The path to completion was slower than Lakhotia expected. He initially planned to finish in early 2022, but was held up by supply chain disruptions, financing challenges, difficulty navigating a utility right-of-way, and the steep learning curve of someone new to development.
Even so, Lakhotia has quickly become one of downtown New Britain’s most active developers. His acquisitions since 2021 include:
- 38 Main St. — A $2.5 million purchase of a 42-unit building with five ground-floor storefronts.
- 10-12 Washington St. — Acquired for $4.1 million, home to the Miss Washington Diner and 52 apartments.
- 480 Myrtle St. — The 135,000-square-foot former Stanley Black & Decker office building, now undergoing an $18.5 million conversion into 115 apartments. The first units are expected to be available for rent in September.
- 5-39 Arch St. — Ongoing work to add 10 apartments above seven retail spaces, scheduled for completion next spring.
- 102 West Main St. — A 48,475-square-foot building being transformed into 79 apartments, with plans for a first-floor restaurant and rooftop bar, also expected next spring.
Stewart said the Doris Building conversion reflects a broader shift downtown, with hundreds of apartments added over the past seven years driving more foot traffic and supporting new businesses. But she warned that the city’s water, sewer, and parking infrastructure will need upgrades to sustain continued growth.
To attract tenants, Lakhotia is offering one month’s free rent at the Doris Building and says he’s focused on keeping rates competitive in all of his buildings.
“I want to fill these buildings fast and not wait,” he said.
