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August 12, 2022

One Silver Lane plan moves forward, while another is tabled

Contributed An outline of the area being considered under the Silver Lane Redevelopment Plan, stretching from Mercer Avenue to Forbes Street.
By Collin Atwood, Journal Inquirer

One major project within the Silver Lane corridor moved in the right direction at Wednesday’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, while another proposal has been tabled to provide additional details.

The commission approved ND Acquisition LLC’s plan to construct two 100,000-square-foot high-tech manufacturing buildings and two large warehouses, combining for more than 2 million square feet on 300 acres just south of Rentschler Field.

“We have made incredible progress thus far,” Managing Partner Andrew Gallinaro said. “Our goal, as you may know, is to be able to start construction at some point later this year.”

Although this was the major approval that ND Acquisitions needed, a few steps still need to be taken before the project is shovel ready.

Director of Development Eileen Buckheit and Interim Town Planner Steve Hnatuk said ND Acquisitions still needs to apply for building permits and meet conditions of the town’s approval.

PZC member Peter Marra expressed his concerns about how the 1,300 trailers that the site can hold would get to the highway.

“When these truckers leave the property, do they plan on going right on the highway and not into East Hartford roads or Silver Lane,” Marra asked.

Paul Vitaliano, a civil engineer with Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, confirmed that the trailers would be avoiding Silver Lane.

PZC Chairman John Ryan wondered if the project was going to expand on the pond currently on site. Vitaliano said that they planned on adding a few more ponds, but will not expand or remove the existing one.

Also during the meeting, Jasko Development and Zelman Real Estate presented their plan to build an amenity-focused apartment complex at the old Showcase Cinemas property.

The proposal would include 470 units after being previously approved for 477. The bulk of the units will be built on the main campus and 30 other ones will be in a building just east of the campus.

PZC member Hank Pawlowski worried about damage being done to the drainage system on the site and questioned how it would be maintained.

Marra noted that he was on the Inland and Wetlands Commission when a soil scientist explained the drainage system to them. He added that the system doesn’t need to be serviced every year and that it would take a catastrophe for it to need maintenance.

“The way he explained it was once every 40 to 50 years under harsh conditions, and if they’re working fine, they would be left alone,” Marra said.

Landscape architect Mary Blackburn presented the plan for the vegetation on the site and noted that the development team wanted this complex to have “abundant planting” and a park-like setting.

Marra commended Blackburn for including a lot of native trees to Connecticut but wondered if the plans could include a large oak tree to better represent East Hartford.

“On our police logo, we have a bridge and a Charter Oak tree,” Marra said. “I don’t see anything that really ties into East Hartford.”

Blackburn said that the team would look into adding a white oak “statement” tree along the main road through the complex.

PZC member Sid Soderholm stated that the renderings shown to the commission were artist drawings and not detailed architectural designs that show necessary requirements such as elevation.

Hnatuk added that he also made a recommendation to the applicant prior to the meeting to supply additional architectural drawings for the buildings.

“It wasn’t exactly clear to me which buildings were which on the site plan compared to the architectural drawings, and it didn’t look to me like all of the proposed building architecturals were included into the plan,” Hnatuk added.

Ryan said that there was not enough information for the commission to make a decision and proposed to table the discussion until the meeting in September.

“I think that this project is amazing,” Marra said. “Whatever the commission needs, provide it, and they’ll take it from there.”

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