East Hartford’s Inland Wetlands Commission signed off Tuesday on two major developments that are seen as key pieces to the revival of the long-declining Silver Lane commercial and retail corridor.
The commission approved a massive industrial development on 300 acres of Rentschler Field and a 470-unit apartment complex at the former Showcase Cinema site. The Rentschler Field development was approved with standard conditions.
Wetlands commission members imposed additional conditions for the development at the former cinema, including requiring more detail as one of the proposed buildings will avoid wetlands impacts.
New Britain-based Jasko Development and Zelman Real Estate of West Hartford are partnered on plans to acquire the 25.1- acre cinema site from the town, then build eight apartment buildings, a clubhouse, mail facilities and a maintenance building, along with several enclosed garages and carports.
National Development, operating as ND Acquisitions LLC, plans to build a 1.2-million-square-foot logistics building, 1.3-million-square-foot logistics building, and two 100,000-square-foot buildings. ND Acquisitions has previously stated the smaller buildings will be used for high-tech manufacturing and research and development.
Now that National Development and the Jasko-Zelman partnership have wetlands approval, they can submit for needed site plan approval from the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission. The developments also need sign-offs from the Office of the State Traffic Administration.
National Development expects a 12-month construction schedule, with completion at the end of 2023, according to Eileen Buckheit, East Hartford’s director of development. Construction of the Jasko-Zelman apartment development is expected to take up to two years, she said.
