What one amenity could a landlord possibly add to an apartment complex built in stages as long as four decades ago, one that is close to being fully leased?
In the case of Vernon’s Santini Villa Apartments, it’s a clubhouse with swimming pool that the Santini family has always wanted for their 414-unit complex at 1031 Hartford Turnpike, in the town’s’ Rockville section.
Santini Villa is breaking ground on the $1 million, 4,600-square-foot facility set to open next May.
Actually, the clubhouse will do double duty — it will be shared with residents of the $4 million, 32-unit upscale The Grand Lofts apartments the Santinis are erecting close by.
When completed next summer, The Grand Lofts will be among the 650 units of multi-family housing the Santinis own and manage in Vernon and Ellington. Deer Valley Townhomes in Ellington is their newest property.
The clubhouse will feature a 1,100-square-foot, fully-equipped fitness center accessible to residents round the clock. It also will have a 35-foot by 75-foot heated outdoor pool flanked by a landscaped patio.
There also will be a 1,500-square-foot lounge area that includes wi-fi and a flat-screen TV; a large bar/kitchen with an oversized range and oven, multiple refrigerators; a billiards area; and an open living area featuring a large fireplace.
Recession or no, timing for expanding an apartment complex couldn’t be better, said Eric Santini, second-generation co-owner and project manager.
It also fits with the Santini family’s build-and-hold strategy for multifamily properties. Santini Homes is the other branch of the developer-landlord’s tree, with active subdivisions Gasek Farms in Vernon and Ellridge Estates in Ellington.
“We’ve probably had a dozen downturns in our history,’’ Eric Santini said. “We know how to survive downturns.’’
Santini Villa was built in stages, starting in the 1960s, with a new section added as occupancy demanded, he said.
The clubhouse site, for example, the Santinis had eyed for the last 20 years while it was occupied by a single-family house, he said. When the property became available, the Santinis bought it.
“We always look long term for the properties we own,’’ Santini said.
Pope Commons Move-In
The first tenant move-ins are expected on or around Oct. 1 at Pope Commons, the renovated Parkville neighborhood retail strip center that once housed Bradlees discount store and a Stop & Shop.
Hartford developer Carlos Mouta said the Family Dollar chain is among the first to occupy a portion of the renovated 70,000 square feet of Bradlees space at 1200 Park St., across from Pope Park. Mouta is investing about $5 million to upgrade the 1960s era shopping center.
As reported here on July 5, a half-dozen specialty retail and service tenants — including a hair-nail salon, laundry mat, orthopedic shoe store and wine shop — are leasing space in the 113,000-square-foot shopping center.
The move-ins coincide with $3 million in “traffic calming’’ — narrower roadways, new sidewalks, decorative lighting and plantings — improvements the city of Hartford is scheduled to begin this week in front of Pope Commons, on Park Street.
The existing Sav-A-Lot grocery in the center is moving in October into renovated space alongside Family Dollar in the former Bradlees end of the complex.
Once Sav-A-Lot moves, that end of the center will be renovated to accommodate more tenants, including the Wild Grapes wine shop set to open in January, Mouta says.
Greg Seay is the Hartford Business Journal Web Editor.
