Mansfield residents expressed concern over proposed plans for a new off-campus apartment complex Tuesday night. The application for the approval of the proposed complex, Ponde Place, to be built on Hunting Lodge Road, has been withdrawn temporarily so the plans can be debated.
The general consensus of the Mansfield community was less than supportive. Keystone Companies, LLC., the tentative builders of the complex and Mansfield community members met at the Mansfield Public Library last night to discuss their concerns about the building of such a complex.
Many towns' citizens have issues with the plan, including the location of the new facility, which would be adjacent to the Carriage House Apartments. Security, zoning and traffic are also concerns, according to P. Anthony Giorgio, one of the founders of The Keystone Company.
Another major concern with the project is the amount of water that the facility would require. UConn acts as the utility for the water supply in the region, Giorgio said. The complex would require 45,000 gallons of water a day, which according to Giorgio, UConn says it can handle.
The plans were withdrawn from the Planning and Zoning Board so that the townspeople could voice their opinions, Giorgio said.
"It was always our intention to meet with you," Giorgio said. "We found out in Mansfield that it's difficult - if not impossible - to change plans once they are being reviewed by the [Planning and Zoning] commission."
The complex would be used to house approximately 600 undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty members, Giorgio said. He hopes that this complex could be more like an off-campus dormitory, which he hopes could include Community Assistants as well as security guards at entrances and exits. These measures would help ensure the security of the neighborhood and put more accountability on students living within the complex, Giorgio said.
UConn has one of the highest percentages of students living on campus out of any university in the country, Giorgio said, adding that former UConn President Philip Austin contacted the company in March 2004 and advised him that off-campus housing was the "preferred option" once they had already purchased the land.
According to the most recent plans, each suite would house four students and include two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchenette and a living room, said Tai Soo Kim, the architect who was hired for the project. Each apartment would also come with a washer and dryer, a flat screen TV and some basic appliances, Giorgio added.
Many residents voiced their concerns about the physical deterioration of the houses that already exist on Hunting Lodge Road, the conditions in which students are currently living and the future state of the neighborhoods that already exist.
"We did not anticipate that two dormitories would be built adjacent to a neighborhood," said Helen Koehn, a member of the Mansfield Town Council. "We didn't want another student housing complex to ruin another [neighborhood]," she said, referring to the current state of Hunting Lodge Road.
"It's been enlightening to hear all your opinions, but I think we can all agree that something needs to be done," said Ryan McHardy, Undergraduate Student Government (USG) president, about the need for better off-campus housing options.
Leases would be required to be signed by parents and students, a measure that would hopefully create more accountability for property damages and unacceptable behavior, Giorgio said.
Some residents asked why Keystone wouldn't simply buy Carriage instead of building a new complex.
"Carriage House is for sale for around $14.5 million and they've contacted us," Giorgio said. "[But] there is no economic value in Carriage House, and we're as troubled by it as you are."
There is also a proposed traffic light installation at the intersection of Hunting Lodge Road and North Eagleville Road in order to handle the influx of traffic - anticipated to be about 600 ca rs driving to and from the complex, Giorgio said.
"We're not going to resubmit the plan until we have looked at our notes from the meeting and considered your opinions," Giorgio said. "But we will resubmit before the end of the year."
Contact Kimberly Romanello at
Kimberly.Romanello@UConn.edu.
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