Huge residential development approved along Griswold Street
- Peter Marteka
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Plan calls for the construction of five apartment buildings
By Peter Marteka
Editor
After decades of proposals for a 13-acre parcel in North Glastonbury, it appears a plan to build five, three-to-four-story apartment buildings with a total of 266 units has some staying power as the town plan and zoning commission approved it earlier this month.
The commission voted 4-2 in favor of the Main St. Group’s plan with commission chairman Robert J. Zanlungo, Jr., Emilio Flores, Andy Zlotnick and Philip Markuszka voting in favor and commission vice-chairman Sharon Jagel and secretary Laura Cahill voting against.
The development is bordered by Griswold Street to the south, Main Street to the west and Route 3 to the north and Route 2 to the east. Site amenities include a clubhouse with an in-ground pool, patios, barbecue areas, a trash and maintenance building, a sports court, a small dog park, and passive recreation areas.
Previous developments over the past two decades since Hitchcock Furniture left have included a hotel, a lifestyle center with upscale shops and restaurants and a shopping mecca. None of them were built and the land has sat vacant.
Like with the past proposals, increased traffic along Griswold Street and access to the parcel were the main sticking points during numerous public hearings. The development’s main access will be across from Naubuc School with an ingress only along Main Street.
Cahill said the two-year application process has been a challenge to “legally balance Glastonbury’s need for affordable housing while protecting the safety, health, and welfare for Naubuc’s staff, faculty and children.”
Cahill was hoping the main entrance to the development would be located farther to the east at Mermaid Pool. The town, board of education and school officials have expressed concern about the location of the entrance so close to Naubuc. A petition in opposition was signed by more than 500 residents.
“The board of education is an advocate for the safety and well-being of students, and it urged a safer alternative access driveway that doesn’t place additional risk on children and school employees,” she said.
Concerns included buses getting in and out of Naubuc, parents dropping off students, students walking to school, speeding on Griswold Street and traffic gridlock.
“TPZ has heard from Glastonbury’s North End residents who have expressed strong support for this affordable housing development,” Cahill said. “There is no NIMBYism in this project. However, residents have testified that significant public health, welfare and safety concerns through public hearing testimony, emails and petitions. Their concerns are solely focused on the Griswold Street access driveway.
“Some may not consider these residents experts in the traditional sense,” she added. “Glastonbury North End residents have specialized knowledge based on their first-hand, everyday experiences with Griswold Street traffic conditions...TPZ is in a very difficult position weighing dueling expert opinion...the real issue is whether the access driveway continues to pose a substantial public health, welfare and safety issue.”
The 8-30g proposal requires 30 percent of units to be deed-restricted as affordable with the remaining units sold at market rate. Of the 266 units, 186 would be market rate and 80 affordable. The state requires that 10 percent of housing stock in town be deemed affordable. Glastonbury is at 5.37 percent.
“I support affordable housing,” Cahill said. “It has always been whether we are going to move the driveway.”
Markuszka said if developers were to appeal the TPZ decision, the town would lose.
“I understand the concerns. I hope they don’t come to fruition...We are tasked at looking at black and white, not let our hearts and our personal opinions and thoughts cloud it,” he said.
“I disagree with my fellow commissioners who think this is a black and white issue and that the only experts that we can listen to are the ones who are paid professionals for either the town or the applicant,” Jagel said. “My main concern with this application is inadequate access to and from the site and how that negatively affects the surrounding roadways. That has a huge negative impact on our community.”
Developers have proposed adding flashing lights, building a raised crosswalk and funding a crossing guard. Other options, including an entrance at Valvoline, Five Guys and the Brewster Street apartments have issues like wetlands crossings and other challenges.
“I feel like the experts have gone around the barn to make it acceptable as the least offensive possibility,” Jagel said of the Griswold Street entrance. “Having to put all these things into where would be the best place shows that it’s really not the best place. Perhaps I should say it is the best of a lot of not very good possibilities.”
“This appears to be the only viable access to the site, and the applicant has made adjustments to the crosswalk and roadway in an effort to address those concerns in good faith,” Zanlungo said.
Zanlungo, who lived in the area for years, approved of the setting for the apartment complex.
“This location is one of the more appropriate for this type of development given its proximity to bus routes, services and overall walkability. And while it may not feel like that to those who live nearby, residential uses are likely a less intense use of this property than what could otherwise be developed.
“My hope is this is not the end of the conversation, but the beginning of a more focused effort by the town to address the traffic and safety challenges,” he added. GL