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November 16, 2023

Seeking Hartford city permit, proposed cannabis cultivator promises jobs and taxes

Costar 275-287 Homestead Ave., Hartford.
By Michael Puffer

A group proposing to redevelop a large, aging Hartford manufacturing building into a cannabis grow and production facility said the transformation will bring dozens of jobs and new taxes, along with precautions to prevent impositions on neighbors.

Hartford-based law firm Kennelly & Associates, on Oct. 24, submitted a special permit application to the city on behalf of The Hartford Cannabis Co., which paid $1.7 million last December for an 80,790-square-foot, 1928-vintage factory on 2.5 acres at 275-287 Homestead Ave., along with an associated 1.7-acre parking lot.

The property sits within a mixed commercial and industrial district that allows for cannabis cultivation and production with a special permit, according to the application.

The site previously served as a light manufacturing facility and a centralized washing facility for St. Francis Hospital, according to the application. The reuse would come with “some minor and cosmetic exterior changes,” including new lighting.

The operation would start with 12,000 square feet of cultivation space and a 1,000-square-foot processing area, then scale up over time to up to 65,000 square feet of cultivation and production, depending on market demands, according to the application.

The Hartford Cannabis Co. expects to launch with 18 to 25 employees and could eventually expand to nearly 100 staff, with a target of 75% local hires, according to the application.

The facility would operate between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays, but would also have round-the-clock security.

The application promises high-efficiency ventilation and water conservation measures, along with “extraordinary precautions” for odor control.

The Upper Albany NRZ also sent a letter of support with the unanimous backing of its board.

The Hartford Cannabis Co. “is committed to maintaining the historic integrity of the structure while creating job training opportunities for the residents of Upper Albany,” reads a portion of the letter signed by Yackecha Dickenson, chair of the Upper Albany NRZ. 
 

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