Derek Slap

Sen. Slap Welcomes State Investment in Mixed-Income Apartment Building in West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD – State Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford) today welcomed a $2.95 million state investment with Five Forty New Park, LLC to assist the private developer with building a new 52-unit mixed-income apartment building in West Hartford on the two-acre site of the former Acme Auto Parts building.

The deferred loan, which was approved today by the State Bond Commission, is provided at 0% for 32 years in order to build a $20.6 million, mixed-use residential and retail development with 41deed-restricted affordable units and 11 market-rate units.

The development site is equidistant from the Flatbush and Elmwood CTfastrak stations.

“This project is happening because the state and federal government invested in mass transit near the site. We now see it forming the hub for private-sector investment in housing and retail, and it’s been fantastically successful. The last project this developer did down the street a few years ago is 100 percent occupied,” Sen. Slap said. “There’s a need for this type of housing all across the state, and when Connecticut can partner with private developers, we get things built faster and occupied faster and that’s a benefit to everyone. The next step is to build a commuter rail station here so we can leverage even more private investment and economic activity.”

The State Bond Commission today also approved $5 million for the Security Infrastructure Competitive Grant Program – the so-called Houses of Worship security grant program – that Sen. Slap helped write and pass in 2019.

Under the program, the state can make grants to non-profits that are at heightened risk of being the target of a terrorist attack, hate crime or violent act to make security improvements such as reinforced entryways or the installation of ballistic glass, solid core doors, double door access, computer-controlled electronic locks, remote locks on entrances and exits, and closed-circuit television monitoring.