An existing apartment complex in Bishops Corner will be renovated, and 10 new townhome condominium units will be constructed on the property.

Rendering of additional buildings at 747 North Main St., West Hartford. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

Ten new townhome condominiums will be built and the existing 12 rental apartments located at 747 North Main St. in Bishops Corner will be renovated following unanimous approval by the West Hartford Town Council on Tuesday night.

DHR North Main Street, LLC plans to construct two new buildings, for a total of 10 three-story townhome condominiums, on the currently-vacant north side of the property. Each townhome will have a single-bay garage as well as a driveway with a dedicated parking space.

According to the application, the existing two-story, 12,086 square foot apartment complex, built in the 1960s, will be upgraded with new windows and landscaping, and an ADA accessible handicapped parking space and six additional parking spaces will be added.

David Raiser, manager of DHR’s team, worked closely with West Hartford’s Design Review Advisory Committee and neighbors over the past several months to develop a proposal that, according to the final application, was “responsive to comments from those groups.”

Several neighbors spoke out in favor of the application at the council meeting prior to the vote, including Peter Mehlman of Overhill Road who said that as an older adult he welcomes the opportunity to be able to remain in the neighborhood in an alternative type of housing.

Town Council member Leon Davidoff, who said his grandmother lived in the apartments at 747 North Main from the mid-1960s until her death in 1981, credited the developer with a “prudent” propsal for the mixed use property, which “fosters reinvestment” in the neighborhood.

Deputy Mayor Shari Cantor praised the design of the development, with density in the center of the parcel and buffers around the edges. “People of all ages will have quality of life in this location,” she said in voicing her approval of the proposal.

Council member Clare Kindall said that DHR’s extensive outreach to the neighbors was “amazing,” and also complimented the landscape architect’s plans, which set out several goals inlcluding making the space “beautiful.” She said that this is the perfect transitional development for the area.

The application was approved unanimously by roll call vote.

Approval of the application also creates a Special Development District for the entire parcel, divided into separate subunits for the townhome condominiums and the apartment complex.

To read the complete application to the West Hartford Town Council, click here.