A developer has proposed a 22-story mixed-use tower with 305 apartments in Bridgeport, according to an application filed with the city’s Planning and Zoning Department.
Jonathan Gonzalez, of Meriden, has proposed constructing the building on a 0.44-acre parcel at 110-118 Congress St. A three-story commercial building on the property would get demolished to make way for the proposed building.
Gonzalez said the project is part of a broader goal to build 20,000 apartment units nationwide to generate cash flow for Second Start Inc., a nonprofit he founded that provides housing and support services for disadvantaged people.
As part of a separate Bridgeport project, he said he also plans to build an eight-story, 346-unit apartment building on Myrtle Avenue in partnership with the property owner.
“We have a lot of big initiatives, and in order to get to that initiative, we have to create a cash flow,” he said.
The first two floors of the proposed Congress Street building would include office and retail space for tenants such as a grocer, cafe and pharmacy, according to the application. Apartments would occupy the remaining 20 floors.
Plans include installing paved driveways, sidewalks, new utilities, a stormwater management system and landscaped areas.
“The proposed project represents a significant redevelopment of an underutilized commercial property into a modern mixed-use development that enhances the urban fabric of the surrounding area,” the application said.
The three-story building currently on-site is owned by Northeast Film Storage LLC, controlled by Ian Stone and Ralph Stevens, both of New York. They bought the property for $435,000 in 2010. Gonzalez said he is under contract to buy the building.
The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposal on May 26.
