A Massachusetts-based developer, Dakota Partners, has closed on its ninth project in Connecticut, a multifamily development that is expected to fill an affordable housing void in Newington.
The company earlier this month purchased the property at  550 Cedar St., from Stop & Shop for $1.7 million.
Cedar Pointe will consist of 108 residential units that will be constructed in two phases. In phase one, Dakota will build 72 units in two garden-style buildings, along with a community center.Â
Dakota received $1.9 million in tax credits for the transit-oriented project on Cedar Street, which is near the town’s CTfastrak bus station.Â
The apartments will include a mix of income-restricted and market-rate units. Currently, less than 10% of Newington’s housing stock is considered affordable.
The one- and two-bedroom apartments will meet passive house standards for energy efficiency, requiring little energy for heating or cooling, the developer said.
Phase two of construction is expected to begin by early 2023 and will be financed separately. It will include an additional 36-unit building.
The property, which is a brownfield, will undergo an environmental remediation before construction begins. The original buildings on-site have been demolished and the property is currently vacant.
Since 2014, Dakota has built affordable housing across the state including in Hartford, New Milford, Suffield and Griswold. Its existing eight communities in Connecticut house more than 500 residents.Â
Dakota is a landlord-developer that builds affordable, workforce and market-rate housing across New England, New York and the mid-Atlantic states.Â
The company expects the construction cost to be $18.7 million and the total development cost to be $29.4 million.
The development also hasn’t been without controversy. It was denied in 2018 by the town’s planning board over safety concerns. A judge overturned the decision.
Â
