A factory building that has lain fallow for more than 40 years has a new lease on life as an apartment building in downtown Ansonia.
The Bella Vista Apartments opened earlier this month in the former Palmer Building at 153 Main St. The building has been vacant since 1979, according to Mayor David Cassetti, and despite several proposals over the years to redevelop the building, nothing ever materialized until now.
“For 40 years these buildings were a burden to the City of Ansonia, costing us thousands each year to maintain, and they were vacant,” Cassetti said. “I knew when I first became mayor we needed to do something with this property. We needed to make Ansonia a destination spot, and we have done that with all the new restaurants and housing.”
The historic, four-story building was once part of the bustling Farrel Corp. The city has owned the building since the early 1980s and even though it remained vacant, Cassetti said the city was still spending nearly $60,000 annually in upkeep and maintenance.
All that changed in 2020 when New York-based Shaw Ventures purchased not only the Palmer Building, but the nearby Ansonia Technology Park (ATP) Building at 497 E. Main St. and the former Wells Fargo Bank drive-through at 165 Main St., which are also poised to undergo a transformation into housing and retail space.
Bella Vista is the first phase of Shaw’s plans, and features 44 studio, one and two-bedroom, market-rate apartments. The building’s brick exterior is replicated inside the units, which feature exposed brick walls, original wood beams and wood, tongue and groove ceilings. The vintage architecture is paired with modern amenities, including stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, luxury wood-like plank flooring and carpeting throughout. Each floor features a laundry room. The complex welcomes pets under 40 lbs., and there’s a dog wash to keep them clean.
A roof-top deck is still under construction, and the building has a first floor community space featuring a business center, gym and coffee lounge.
Property Manager Tracy Stella said the entire fourth floor has been rented, along with some of the units on the third floor, for a total of 15 tenants so far. The studios start at $1,500 a month; the one bedrooms range from $1,500 to $1,950 a month and the two bedrooms start at $2,200 a month. Stella said the new tenants hail from Fairfield and New Haven counties, as well as some who’ve moved here from out of state for work.
She’s been getting inquiries, as well, from resident doctors at Griffin Hospital wanting a place to live, close to work in neighboring Derby. Stella added she’s doing about seven to 10 tours of the building each week, and receiving two to three applications weekly.
Economic Development Director Sheila O’Malley is thrilled to see progress happening downtown, since several failed partnerships with other developers have come and gone since 2013.
“This is a huge win for Ansonia,” O’Malley said. “It will bring foot traffic, which is the name of the game for a thriving downtown. People bring money and generate tax revenue. We see this is an essential and vital part of a healthy downtown.”
Stella not only manages the building, she also recently became a tenant herself.
“I always wanted to live in the city, but I’m a country girl,” Stella said. “Here, you have Main Street with restaurants of every cuisine, the Post Office, the bank, City Hall and a five minute walk to Target, and then at the same time, you can look out your window and see the whole tree line in Ansonia.”
