The Town Council concluded a three-and-a-half-hour public hearing, but postponed a vote on the application for redevelopment of 1800 Asylum Avenue until its Feb. 25, 2025 meeting.

By Ronni Newton

The ultimate fate of the former UConn West Hartford campus has been a topic of discussion for more than a dozen years – ever since the University of Connecticut revealed in November 2012 that it would be relocating to space in downtown Hartford – but it will be at least a few more weeks before the Town Council votes on the application to redevelop the 33.5-acre property at 1800 Asylum Avenue as the mixed commercial and residential development of Heritage Park.

The Council will plan to vote on the application at its next meeting, on Feb. 25, 2025.

A three-and-a-half-hour public hearing on the application was held on Tuesday evening. Following the developer’s presentation a dozen people provided testimony that was largely supportive of the plans – although many highlighted a desire to have a greater number of affordable rental units. Members of the Town Council also had the opportunity to question the development team.

The Town Council had intended to take the final step in considering the application and vote during its meeting Tuesday night after the lengthy hearing concluded, but instead will vote later this month.

“The Town Council’s vote on the application has been postponed to allow for the finalization of approval conditions for the project,” Corporation Counsel Dallas Dodge said in a statement provided to We-Ha.com Tuesday night. “This routine delay provides town staff the opportunity to refine the conditions based on feedback from both the community and the Council. The Town Council is expected to take final action on the application at its next regular meeting on Feb. 25.”

The subject of the public hearing was an application “filed on behalf of WeHa Development Group, LLC, owner of 1800 Asylum Avenue, for change of zone of approximately 33.5 acres of the site from a R-10 single-family zone to a BS shopping center zone with Special Development District Designation (SDD) overlay for the redevelopment of the site into a new mixed-use development of commercial and residential uses along with associated parking and site amenities.”

WeHa Development Group’s plans for 1800 Asylum – an investment of several hundred million dollars – call for demolition of the remaining buildings that were part of the former UConn campus and environmental remediation of PCBs and other contaminants, and construction of 11 new buildings of one to four stories.

Included in the plan for Heritage Park are 93 residential apartments, one- and two-bedroom units, with five units (5%) proposed as deed-restricted to be affordable for family incomes at or below the 80% area median income. The plans also include a total of 25 townhomes available for purchase, six of which are duplex townhomes along both Lawler Road and Asylum Avenue, 90 units of assisted living, a 26,488-square-foot organic grocery store, roughly 42,800 square feet of restaurant and retail space, and a 42,600 square foot spa.

TPZ and DRAC review

In August 2024, the Town Planning and Zoning Commission (TPZ), in its capacity as West Hartford’s Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency (IWWA), approved the wetlands application for 1800 Asylum, the western portion of the former UConn campus, but as part of the rezoning and SDD process the TPZ must vote to determine whether or not the proposal for Heritage Park is consistent with the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD).

TPZ conducted a detailed review of WeHa Development Group’s application at its Feb. 3, 2025 meeting, voting 4-1 to recommend approval of the application to the Town Council “finding it consistent with, and furthering, the overall vision of the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD).” TPZ specifically noted that the development is consistent with the goals and strategies under the “Neighborhoods and Housing” section which encourages diversity, access, and availability of housing options to current and future residents, including revising zoning ordinances if necessary. TPZ also found the application consistent with the “Open Space and Environment” goal of preserving, protecting, enhancing, and promoting open space; and consistent with the “Transportation” sections goal of integrated systems, complete streets, improving accessibility, and extending the Trout Brook Trail system.

TPZ did recommend increasing the number of affordable housing units at 1800 Asylum to be consistent with POCD goals, and recommended that the applicant address concerns raised by town staff regarding traffic, bicycle, and pedestrian safety.

Also as part of the required process, the application was also officially referred to the Design Review Advisory Committee (DRAC) which on Nov. 14 voted unanimously, 5-0, to recommend approval of the project. DRAC had previously conducted 13 study sessions as part of the informal review process, and the recommendation letter praises the willingness of the applicant to incorporate many of the revisions suggested by DRAC during the review process.

DRAC’s recommendation letter said the “the relationship of the proposed buildings to the site and adjoining neighborhood is appropriate,” noting that while the “collective buildings are substantial,” they are compatible with their surrounding due to the placement of the largest buildings in the central part of the site, most distant from surrounding residential properties. In addition, DRAC’s recommendation states the “townhomes’ height, scale, and placement along both Asylum Avenue and Lawler Road provide for a suitable transitional response to the neighborhood” and “the commitment to providing meaningful publicly accessible open space amenities throughout the project area allows for the creation of generous planted buffers.”

Presentation from developer

Robin Pearson, of Alter, Pearson & Hope LLC, led the presentation of the application at the public hearing, noting that the project has been refined over time, and following the 13 study sessions with the Design Review Advisory Committee (DRAC) over the past two years. She said the footprint of the development is in scale with the surrounding area, which includes the University of Saint Joseph and Bishops Corner – which is also a shopping center zone – as well as dense residential housing.

She said that while the site contains extensive wetlands, the plans for Heritage Park will bring “energy, life, and vitality” that will respect the wetland areas, with naturalistic plantings in lieu of the current sterile mowed lawn on the site.

The envelope of the proposed development, Pearson said, will remain in the area that was the developed portion of the former UConn campus. “In some instances it’s even more restrained from the boundary of the site than the current development,” she said.

Matt Bruton, a professional engineer with BL Companies, traffic engineer Mike Dion of BL Companies, landscape architect Travis Ewen of Stantec, and Brooks Fischer and Laura Gilmore of Newman Architects also participated in the presentation by the development team.

They highlighted plans to extend the Trout Brook Trail from its current terminus at Asylum Avenue to Lawler Road, west of Trout Brook along the eastern edge of the 1800 Asylum property, adding another third of a mile to the multi-use trail.

Bruton also shared plans for the phasing of the project, beginning with the town’s work on the culvert (phase 0 on map below), and then progressing to the grocery store, wetlands enhancement, and residential buffer, followed by the trail extension, residential buildings along Asylum Avenue, the Main Street, a mixed use building and the Lawler Road townhomes, the other mixed use building, and in phase 7 the assisted living, destination spa, and restaurant.

Included in the landscaping plans will be the addition of 916 trees. While some existing trees will be removed, the total number of trees on the 1800 Asylum parcel will be more than tripled, Bruton said, to 1,059.

Dion provided details of a traffic study, and said at the town’s request new traffic counts – updating data that had been compiled several years ago – were conducted in December 2024. The traffic study looked at 14 signalized intersections and three un-signalized intersections, and included an analysis of peak morning and afternoon commute times, as well as midday Saturday due to the planned retail and spa components of the proposed project.

“There are not a lot of changes,” Dion said, and where there would be degradation of wait times at intersections they will work with the town. A traffic signal will be added on Trout Brook Drive, and there will be left turn lanes added at the Asylum Avenue entrance to the development.

Ewen highlighted the plans for the reintroduction of native species to the landscape, and the meadows, riparian tree canopy, and other enhancements to the pastoral property.

Fischer said the landscaping was the site’s biggest asset and the architecture was intended to stitch it together, maintaining the bucolic setting. The townhouses along Asylum and Lawler were added as “a transitional piece of architecture” for the surrounding residential areas, but the landscaping is the intentional buffer.

Gilmore described the approach to each building, refined over the course of the 13 study sessions with DRAC, with building edges softened “to respond to the natural setting.”

Pearson said the plan has evolved over time, and even though it was separated into two applications, it “was always planned to be a village on both sides of Trout Brook Drive.”

Public comment

There were 17 emails or letters submitted by the public regarding the application, Town Clerk Leon Davidoff said Tuesday. All were generally supportive, but nine of the comments mentioned increasing the percentage of affordable housing at 1800 Asylum from 5% to 8%, to match the percentage of affordable units at The Residences of Heritage Park which was approved last summer for the eastern portion of the former campus. The other eight letters were supportive of the project.

Ten of the 12 who testified in person at the hearing Tuesday night – most of whom said they had lived in West Hartford for decades – were also supportive of the project, but many also expressed a desire for a greater percentage of affordable units.

“My fear is that this town is pricing itself out of existence,” said Judy Lederer, who said she didn’t see any reason for one side of Heritage Park to have 5% affordable housing while the other side had 8%.

“I’m urging you to look at the possibility of matching the percentage of affordable units. … Every little bit is going to help,” said Elizabeth Rose.

Jason Wang said he is supportive of the plan to redevelop the property. “I love the public spaces that are being proposed and like idea of building assisted living that’s integrated into the community,” he said. While he would have preferred a project that included starter homes for purchase, Wang said that Connecticut has an overall shortage of homes and that cannot be allowed to continue. Each day that the needs are not met creates more of a burden, he said, and the possibility that landlords will raise rents on the in-demand supply.

Wang, like some of the other speakers who mentioned their children and grandchildren being priced out of the market, said housing prices must be stabilized to ensure the next generation has a place to live. “We should be a town where people come here to better their lives,” he said, and housing is the way to do that.

Roberta Echelson spoke against the proposed development. “I don’t need to ask these developers what they want in pushing this project. They want money and profit,” she said. She said the massive development will bring unnecessary and unwanted traffic, “will put residents and wildlife at risk, and will forever change the character of local neighborhoods … by bringing in unwanted commercial development.” The area doesn’t need another grocery store or destination spa, she said. “We may as well tear our houses down and build an expressway to Bishops Corner.”

Beth Rocco said the developer has “misunderstood what the missing middle needs.” People want to live and age in their own homes, she said. “We have enough assisted living. What we do need is apartments for seniors,” she said, and they can’t be one-bedroom units because those who need live-in aides need a second bedroom. She also expressed concerns about safe pedestrian crossings and lack of solar panels on the flat roofs of some of the buildings.

“We’ve made our case, we’ve presented it to you and I think what you need to recognize is that this is a very unique site,” Pearson said at the conclusion of the public hearing. She said the plan for Heritage Park is to be a village on both sides of Trout Brook Drive, and of the 415 overall rental units on both sides of Trout Brook Drive, 31 – 7.5% – are set aside as affordable.

Ballfields, Residences at Heritage Park on eastern portion of former UConn campus, and history

It’s been more than three years since West Hartford 1 LLC finalized the purchase of the former UConn campus property, on an “as is” basis, from then-owner Ideanomics, for $2.75 million, on Dec. 29, 2021. Dominic Carpionato is the principal of West Hartford 1 LLC, and WeHa Development Group East LLC and WeHa Development Group LLC were established for the purpose of developing the separate portions of the overall property.

In August 2024, what had been 1700 Asylum Avenue was split into two parcels, and 14.866 acres were sold for $22.7 million to a newly-created entity, West Hartford Developers LLC, which is managed by Eli Pechthold of Garden Homes.

That newly-created entity will be developing the 322-unit multifamily residential development The Residences at Heritage Park – which now has the address of 1360 Trout Brook Drive – that will include four buildings as well as a community green and a variety of amenities for residents and the public. Eight percent of the units will be set aside as deed-restricted affordable housing.

In April 2024, the West Hartford Town Council approved, 8-1, an application to establish a Special Development District for the entire 23.787-acre property of what was then 1700 Asylum Avenue. At the same time, 14.866 acres of the northern portion, most of which is currently an 1,100-space parking lot, was rezoned as RMMS (residential multifamily, multistory). The rezoned portion of the property will become the 322-unit multifamily residential development The Residences at Heritage Park, while the southern portion of that property, which is 8.921 acres, will remain a residential zone R-10, with approved use as ballfields, playground, and associated parking.

In December 2024, the Town Council voted unanimously to accept the donation by West Hartford 1 LLC of the ballfields and playground, and associated parking.

UConn first announced plans to vacate the campus in 2012, and opened the new campus in Hartford for the fall 2017 semester.

In November 2015, UConn officially decided it would sell the property, and because statute requires that state-owned property first be offered to the town in which it is located, West Hartford began considering a purchase. In January 2016 the Town Council authorized then-Town Manager Ron Van Winkle to negotiate with UConn and conduct environmental studies, but then in February 2016, Weiming Education Group, an international school based in China, expressed a desire to purchase the property.

In March 2016, Weiming made an offer to purchase the campus from UConn for $12.6 million, and under statute the town was then given the right of first refusal. At a public information session attended by hundreds in May 2016, that was intended to be about whether the town should exercise that right, many residents instead took the opportunity to express passionate opinions about the proposed sale to Weiming. Most who spoke said they preferred having the town purchase the campus. A week later, the town negotiated a deal to purchase the campus for $5 million – the lower price in part because of uncertainty by UConn about Weiming’s ability to get its plans approved by the Town Council, which is the ultimate land use authority.

Fast forward to December 2017, the discovery of greater-than-expected PCB contamination, a revised purchase price of $1 million, seven extensions of the due diligence period, and the town terminated its purchase and sale agreement with UConn.

It was purchased by Ideanomics from UConn in 2018, but plans to build Fintech Village were later scrapped and the property was sold to West Hartford 1 LLC. For more information and background about West Hartford’s previous history with the campus, click here.

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