South Windsor officials are set to consider a major age-restricted, owner-occupied housing development along the Manchester border. The proposal by Ohio-based Washington Prime Group comes about two months after the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission narrowly rejected the developer’s request for a zoning change that would allow 210 garden-style apartments on a 56.7-acre site. That […]
South Windsor officials are set to consider a major age-restricted, owner-occupied housing development along the Manchester border.
The proposal by Ohio-based Washington Prime Group comes about two months after the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission narrowly rejected the developer’s request for a zoning change that would allow 210 garden-style apartments on a 56.7-acre site.
That proposal would have allowed development of 210 apartments in two or more buildings.
Now, Washington Prime Group is pursuing zoning changes that would allow 210 owner-occupied condominiums in a 55-and-over community on the same site.
The undeveloped property, which is owned by Washington Prime Group, is located just north of the Manchester border and the Trader Joe’s-anchored Plaza at Buckland Hills.
The site is also bounded by Pleasant Valley Road, Wheeler Road and Smith Street. While owners would have to be at least 55 years old, occupants would be limited to those 18 and older, according to application documents.
The condominium proposal follows the town’s adoption this summer of the Buckland Gateway South Overlay Zone, which was designed to allow age-restricted rowhouse-style or carriage-style housing. Carriage-style units are designed to resemble single-family homes, even when multiple units are attached.
That zoning had not yet been applied to the site.
In September, Washington Prime sought to amend that overlay zone to allow garden-style apartments, but the commission rejected the request in a 4-3 vote.
Washington Prime is now asking the commission to apply the existing overlay zone to most of the acreage, reserving a portion for potential commercial development. If approved, the developer would then submit detailed plans through the site plan and special exception process, said Don Poland, senior vice president of urban planning at Goman + York Property Advisors, which is consulting on the project.
A market analysis by Goman + York estimates the development would generate $3.29 million in tax revenue for the town and $1.8 million in local permitting fees. It also projects the creation of 152 construction jobs and 134 permanent jobs, along with $10.1 million in new consumer spending at nearby businesses.
Washington Prime Group said in September it was seeking the ability to build garden-style apartments because that design was more heavily favored by developers.
Poland on Monday acknowledged that Washington Prime Group, which is primarily focused on retail development, will likely look to either partner with a residential developer or sell the land with its entitlements.
