Enfield officials have cleared the way for the first phase of a major residential development along the Connecticut River, approving a 156-unit apartment building on a former industrial site. The project, led by Avon-based Honeycomb Real Estate Partners and Windsor-based Grava Properties, is planned for a 3.24-acre parcel at 33 North River St., once home […]
Enfield officials have cleared the way for the first phase of a major residential development along the Connecticut River, approving a 156-unit apartment building on a former industrial site.
The project, led by Avon-based Honeycomb Real Estate Partners and Windsor-based Grava Properties, is planned for a 3.24-acre parcel at 33 North River St., once home to the Bigelow Carpet manufacturing facility. It marks the first of two phases that will ultimately total more than 256 apartments.
Enfield’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved the site plan last week, following earlier wetlands approvals. The town is also supporting the redevelopment with a $4 million state grant to clean up environmental contamination on the site, and a 12.5-year tax abatement to make the project financially feasible.
“It’s another big milestone for us in the development process,” said Honeycomb Managing Member Lewis Brown. “Every step forward is a positive step, and this is a big step forward.”
The next big step, Brown said, will be securing financial support from the Connecticut Municipal Development Agency (CMDA), a quasi-public body created by state lawmakers to encourage high-density housing projects on sites near mass transit and in downtowns in communities across the state. The agency is expected to begin deploying its $60 million in state bonding allocation this year.
CMDA Executive Director David Kooris has identified the Enfield project as a leading candidate for investment. The site lies near a proposed commuter rail station.
Brown said he hopes to acquire the Bigelow property by late 2025 or early 2026, break ground this winter and complete the first building by summer 2027. A second phase of more than 100 additional units is in the planning stages, with land-use applications expected next summer.
