The developer of a proposed $32 million affordable-housing project in Newington, which was denied last year by the town’s planning board over safety concerns, says he will break ground on the development in 2020 after a judge overturned the town’s decision.
The town’s Planning and Zoning commission last fall voted against the 108-unit apartment complex, proposed by Massachusetts developer-landlord Dakota Partners Inc., citing several concerns, including the safety of the development near one of Newington’s CTfastrak busway stations.
Dakota filed a lawsuit against the town arguing the rejection was illegal.
In late August, Judge William A. Mottolese overturned the town’s ruling, stating that its reason for denial did not provide enough evidence that the development at 550 Cedar St. would pose public harm.
Mottolese ordered the town to create certain zones that would allow for the project, and directed Dakota to seek approval from the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to build a sidewalk on the Cedar Street site connecting it to the CTfastrak station on Fenn Road.
Following DOT approval, Dakota would still need to receive a site plan approval from the zoning board, according to Town Planner Craig Minor. A meeting between Dakota and DOT has not yet been scheduled, Minor said.
In a statement Thursday, Dakota Principal Marc Daigle said he expects to break ground on the 7.7-acre lot, formerly home to automobile dealership Crest Motors, in late summer 2020. Daigle has said construction on the so-called “Cedar Pointe” development would last between 12 to 14 months.
The town’s zoning board pushed the project along in recent weeks, approving a pair of zoning amendments to create a “workforce assisted housing development” (WAHD) zone, and converted the parcel from a planned development zone to a WAHD zone.
Daigle said the three-building complex will include a total of 81 two-bedroom and 27 one-bedroom units.
“When completed, Cedar Pointe will provide much needed workforce housing for people who work in and around Newington,” he said. “Cedar Pointe will utilize ‘passive house design,’ which is highly energy efficient.”
Applicants for affordable housing units at Cedar Pointe must meet certain low-income thresholds and prove employment, among other requirements.
Dakota has said monthly rents will range from $410 to $1,046 for one bedroom and $486 to $1,240 for two-bedroom units.
Dakota Partners has acquired and developed multi-family rental properties across New England, New York and mid-Atlantic states. The developer has built housing in Hartford, New Milford and Brookfield, among other areas.
