Looking to continue its streak of apartment projects in Greater Hartford, Massachusetts-based Dakota Partners recently proposed building 180 new units and storefront commercial space along a swath of parking lots adjacent to the former Bow Tie Cinemas in Hartford.
The project would be Dakota’s third in the Capital City and its fifth in Hartford County since 2015.
According to application materials submitted last month to the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission, which on Tuesday approved Dakota’s plan to subdivide 330 New Park Ave., located in the city’s Parkville neighborhood near the West Hartford border, into four lots.
Dakota intends to buy the three southernmost lots — which total approximately 5 acres and consist mainly of parking lots — from their current owner, Diamond Properties.
Diamond officials did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday, but the company would presumably retain the northernmost lot containing the 17-screen multiplex, which changed operators after Bow Tie closed this past spring.
Apple Cinemas had initially announced a July opening, but that’s been delayed. It now expects to open the theater this month, according to its website, which doesn’t give an exact date.
Dakota plans to construct three four-story buildings on the three parcels, which would house one and two-bedroom apartment units, as well as nearly 4,500-square-feet of street-facing commercial space. The project would be built in phases, with the first phase focused on workforce housing, Dakota Partners told HBJ on Thursday. The subsequent phases could have a mix of market-rate and affordable units.
Dakota said it could not yet provide a cost estimate for the project, which will still need site plan approval before construction can begin.
Since 2015, Dakota has built four apartment and mixed-use communities in Hartford County, containing about 419 units in all.
Those projects, some of which have additional phases pending, represent an investment of more than $90 million by Dakota, according to its website.
Among them are two Hartford projects — Capitol Lofts and 179 Allyn — which have a combined 175 units.
Earlier this year, Dakota and Xenolith Partners completed the first phase of an $80 million New Britain apartment project called Columbus Commons.
Dakota had planned to break ground on a $32 million, 108-apartment development in Newington this year, but put that project on hold in May after failing to secure $2 million in tax credits.
This story has been updated to include additional information provided by Dakota Partners.
