A planned 150-unit apartment development along the Connecticut River will come with a boost to the town’s parkland.
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A planned 150-unit apartment development along the Connecticut River will come with a boost to the town’s parkland.
The Simon Konover Co., a West Hartford-based developer, intends to donate to East Hartford about 19.7 acres of its 35.3-acre property at 341 East River Drive, before starting construction on an apartment complex next to Great River Park.
The Town Council is scheduled to review the donation at its Aug. 19 meeting.
Konover acquired the site more than 40 years ago with plans to build an office building that never materialized. The company is now moving forward with a residential project that will market proximity to the park and riverfront trails as key amenities.
The donation is part of a plan to subdivide the property, which is structured as a condominium. Under the proposal, 6.9 acres — currently occupied by a middle school — would be deeded to the Capital Region Education Council (CREC); 10 acres retained for the apartment development; and the remainder transferred to the town.
Newton C. Brainard, Konover’s vice president, said the donation more than satisfies town subdivision regulations requiring creation of open space.
“We are giving significantly more than is required because they are the logical owner and it will augment the Riverfront Recapture space,” Brainard said. The land to be donated includes 12.1 acres of wetlands and borders the existing park.
According to East Hartford Economic Development Director Eileen Buckheit, Riverfront Recapture plans to rebuild the Great River Park trail, with new spurs connecting to the proposed apartments.
In terms of the apartment project, Konover aims to complete local land-use reviews before October and begin a roughly 18-month construction by year’s end.
