WinnDevelopment has broken ground on Ellis Street Commons, a 154-unit fully affordable housing development in New Britain, Conn.
The adaptive reuse project will transform the 115-year-old Landers, Frary & Clark plant into affordable apartments for young professionals, middle-income households and fixed-income seniors. The developer will convert the four remaining buildings of the historic manufacturing complex, while preserving the brick exterior.
Upon its expected completion in 2025, the community will cater to residents earning at 30, 50, 60 and 80 percent of the area median income. JCJ Architecture serves as the main architect, along with Keith Construction as general contractor. Langan Engineering and Environmental Services and Collective Design Associates are providing the engineering services.
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The six-story structure will incorporate one-, two- and three-bedroom floorplans. Common-area amenities will include a fitness center, a community center, a game room, coworking spaces, outdoor seating areas and approximately 230 parking spaces.
The 200,000-square-foot Ellis Street Commons community will also feature a 150-kilowatt solar array, electric vehicle charging stations, Energy Star appliances, high performance ventilation, low-flow plumbing and high-efficiency heating and cooling systems.
Located at 321 Ellis St. near the city’s downtown, the site is less than 2.5 miles of Central Connecticut State University, The Hospital of Central Connecticut-New Britain and Stanley Quarter Park. The structure will be connected via a skybridge to the adjacent 322 Ellis St., another building which is part of the historic complex.
Public-private financing
The public-private financing for the $85 million project includes:
- $4 million in funding provided by the Connecticut Department of Housing through the FLEX Funding Program and $3.9 million in federal funds though the National Housing Trust Fund
- DOH will also provide 11 Section 8 vouchers for future residents
- tax credits, tax-exempt bonds and Opportunity Funds provided by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority
- federal and state historic tax credits offered by The U.S. National Park Service and Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office
- a bridge loan provided by BlueHub Capital
- $950,000 in HOME Funds provided by The City of New Britain Department
- a construction loan and more than half of the project’s funding provided by Bank of America, through its investment in the federal low-income housing and historic tax credits generated by the property
Developers are responding to the growing need of affordable housing in the U.S. Winn Cos. recently secured $137 million for the rehabilitation of a 508-unit affordable housing community in Fairport, N.Y. The completion of the construction is anticipated by the fall of 2025.
