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09/05/2023 12:48 PMA public hearing for further discussion on the proposed Artisan Village housing development will occur on Sept. 14, after developers Honeycomb Real Estate Partners and Vesta Corporation submitted their approved site plans to the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) exactly two months prior.
But the proposal for 40 new apartments at 47 Middlesex Avenue, with the intention by the developers that it provide affordable housing for its tenants, has proved unpopular with some neighbors. Those who have been the most vocal include the grassroots organization Concerned Chester Residents (CCR).
“We’re pro-affordable housing. We believe in it, we think it’s needed, we just have some issues with this proposal,” said group member Skip Weisenburger.
Among some of the group’s biggest frustrations surrounding Artisan Village is a perceived lack of transparency from the town regarding the project. CCR said they were dismayed by how long conversations regarding the sale of 47 Middlesex Turnpike between its previous owner, St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish, and the town had been going on before citizens were notified. Meeting minutes published by the Economic Development Commission throughout 2022 do spell out discussions between the town, the church, and multiple developers.
However, the CCR saw that by the time of a town-wide email on Dec. 28, 2022, announcing the sale of the land, and the subsequent initial public hearing on Jan. 31, it was too late for most residents to be fully informed on the matter.
“It’s been going on a lot longer than what people were aware of, and I think a lot of citizens, as they learn more, were concerned by that and that it wasn’t an open conversation that we were aware of,” said Devin Maloney.
“The problem here is like the residents have no representation,” said Karin Badger. “The neighbors have been thrown under the bus; the residents are kept in the dark.”
Public and safety health is a big concern for the CCR, with several unanswered questions. Priscilla Robinson cited “health and hazard issues that I think [are] going to be [an] impact on not only this neighborhood but the majority of the town.” Potential water contamination and significant light pollution due to development were some of those specific hazards mentioned, while others have raised concerns about noise to Honeycomb and Vesta.
The group also expressed frustration with a perceived unwillingness by Honeycomb and Vesta to be accommodating to other concerns. Chief among them is whether the project will fit the character of a small community like Chester, especially when it comes to density.
“It’s a population density that isn’t Chester. I just can’t think of a place in the Lower River Valley that has that population density in three acres,” said Weisenburger.
Honeycomb and Vesta have stated previously that the development is partly intended to attract young professionals in the fields of education, medicine, and the service industry, bringing those jobs to Chester. There is disbelief on the part of CCR regarding that goal and that young professionals will embrace the small-town culture.
“[If] they have an extremely well-paying job, they’re going to work in Hartford, New Haven, maybe Middletown,” said John Maloney. “This misnomer about this is going to solve Chester’s problem — bring in a certain type of people — I’m not so sure about that.”
Ultimately, the CCR does not view Artisan Village as an “altruistic development” for Chester and that Honeycomb and Vesta are instead “looking out for their profit margin.”
Representatives of Honeycomb and Vesta said they have been attentive to concerns from residents like CCR at multiple town meetings since the first public hearing on the proposed development in January and are committed to being “good neighbors.”
“What we’ve tried to do since we started meeting with the town and residents is to listen and, to the extent that we can prospectively be good neighbors, by listening and to try the best that we can to incorporate feedback into our plan,” said Lewis Brown, principal manager at Honeycomb.
Josh Greenblatt of Vesta said that the two companies “want to be neighbors not just at the outset but neighbors for the whole of our involvement” for the 15-year duration of ownership of the property but that they are also “invested in the long-term performance of the property within the community.”
Because of that, the two companies stated that there are several aspects of the project they do not believe they can be flexible on, as “the plan still needs to work for us too as the developer,” said Brown.
With regards to density, the companies stated they do not intend to downsize the development from 40 units, partly to ensure that it is a viable option for its tenants, according to Greenblatt.
Steve Caprio, director of development at Honeycomb, said the building portion of the project will only cover 15% of the 3.03 acres of land at 47 Middlesex Turnpike, which he said is “lower than most of the standard zoning in Chester, even in residential areas, which is 25 to 30%, some cases 35%.”
The companies must also adhere to the design standards of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, including the installation of a backup generator, which Lewis said will hopefully not create too much noise. Greenblatt added that a generator should also be of help if the underground water pump planned for the property cannot move sewage from the buildings to the town’s system during a power outage.
In the meantime, the companies said they will continue to work with the Chester Hose Company on fire code measures and complying with state fair housing laws.
From the Colonial-style design to the density of the development, the companies are confident Artisan Village will be “complementary” to the character of Chester and benefit economic development.
“This housing is critical to a lot of workers in and around Chester,” said Greenblatt. “It will bring 40 new units of quality affordable housing for entry-level teachers, for workers at various small businesses in and around Chester…nurses, medical technicians…Affordable housing means housing that is affordable to that segment of the population that just needs something closer to where they work.”
The PZC meeting for a second public hearing on the development will take place on Thursday, Sept. 14, at Chester Elementary School, 23 Ridge Rd.