Working together for a better West Hartford
UPDATE:
The Arapahoe Group has resubmitted their application (click here to view complete application materials) to West Hartford Town Council to rezone the parking lot at the corner of Arapahoe and Lasalle in order to build a massive 6+ story condominium building as well as a 5-story mixed use building.
The Town Council Hearing for this application will be on Tuesday, December 13th at 6pm.
After getting unanimously rejected by the West Hartford Design Review Advisory Committee (DRAC), The Arapahoe Group withdrew their development application (click here to read the full report). DRAC stated that the “mass and scale” was “not compatible with the site or adjoining buildings.” The developer then re-presented an alternative proposal to DRAC on September 29th. The new plan took a mere 6 percent of volume away from the 6-story condo building and ADDED a floor to the mixed use building, bringing it up to five floors. Again DRAC unanimously gave this plan negative feedback (click here to read the full report), for example:
“Mr. Schweitzer, DRAC member, stated that the prior concerns raised by the Committee regarding the mass and scale of “building A” have not been adequately addressed by the design team. Noting that in his opinion the building is still out of a scale that inappropriate for the site. The proposed roughly six percent mass reduction does not change that conclusion.”
Despite this feedback the developer is moving forward with their application with a Town Council hearing and vote set for December 13th at 6pm.
HISTORY:
The Arapahoe Group LLC (comprised of Lexham Lasalle Developers, Manafort WHC and West Hartford Arapahoe) has submitted an application to West Hartford Town Council to rezone the parking lot Lexham owns in order to build a massive 6+ story condominium building as well as a 5-story mixed use building.
The council can’t make its approval or disapproval conditional. It can only say yes or no to the rezoning request. The only way to achieve even modest changes to the proposal is to say “NO” and have the Council reject it and therefore get the developer to engage with the community.
The condominium building will be the tallest building in the Center looming over Lasalle and Farmington Avenue. All car traffic for the 64 condo units, 21 apartments and 3500 square feet of retail space will enter and exit on a residential street. The developers estimate there will be almost 300 parking spots and that there will be no other entrance/exit to parking other than through the residential street of Arapahoe Road. Much of the traffic to the proposed development will funnel into and out of the abutting residential neighborhood. (Check out the traffic study conducted by the town)
We favor development in West Hartford Center but the proposed condominium project is massively out of scale and puts a dangerous amount of traffic into residential neighborhoods.
WHO WE ARE
We are a grassroots group of concerned West Hartford citizens who want to engage the town, its residents, local businesses and property developers to help set the direction of residential and commercial development.
Our goal is to avoid zoning changes and development driven solely by developers. We favor thoughtful development that balances the needs of the community, safety of the neighborhoods and economic development of the town.
GET INVOLVED
We need your help. Join us in urging Town Council to reject the Petition of the Arapahoe Group LLC for Zoning Change for a Mixed-Use Development on Arapahoe Rd, Lasalle Rd and Farmington Ave. If the petition is approved by the council the development would go forward as proposed with no opportunity for the town and its residents to have input on the project. Voting “No” will pause the process and give the town and its residents a chance to engage with the developers in a productive process that will lead to a more appropriate development.
Join us Tuesday December 13th at 6:00 at Town Hall for a Public Hearing on the Petition of the Arapahoe Group LLC for a Zoning Change for a Mixed-Use Development on Arapahoe Rd, LaSalle Rd and Farmington Ave.
We need as many people as possible to sign our petition and email Town Council to voice their concerns about the Arapahoe Group’s proposed development.
SPREAD THE WORD
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