Restoration and Transformation of Blighted Property

Affordable senior rental housing to replace a long time blighted property in Berlin? It is a possibility, as the town is considering a proposal from Farmington-based Metro Realty Group LTD for the adaptive re-use of the former Kensington Grammar School located on Alling Street, according to a January 4 article at Berlin.Patch.com.

The former school is on the state registry of historic places and the company is attempting to have it certified as an historic structure recognized on both the state and federal registers, “…proposing to preserve the important historic qualities of the building and to renovate it in conformance with the rigorous U. S. Department of Interior standards.”

The project, if it moves forward, would include nine small buildings that are intended to take advantage of the “transit oriented” location, “…attempt[ing] to reinforce the town’s initiative to redevelop the area of the train station to create a mixed use village that will attract young people and other members of the workforce who can use the planned commuter rail service on the New Haven, Hartford, Springfield line,” according to the article.

It goes on to state that the developer has proposed 34 market rate apartments for the same site.