Photo courtesy of Hines
Texas-based developer Hines has put shovels in the dirt on the site of its large new multifamily project in New Haven’s Wooster Square neighborhood.
Hines bought the project from Norwalk’s Spinnaker Real Estate Partners last November after the latter successfully beat lawsuits from neighboring landowners seeking to stop the project. Spinnaker reportedly wanted to extricate itself from what it saw as a distraction to its plans to develop the former New Haven Colisseum site next to the city’s iconic Knights of Columbus tower. The project is Hines’ first multifamily development in Connecticut, and adds to its 18,000-unit portfolio.
The development, to be called “The Whit,” will feature 230 rental units and about 5,600 square feet of street-level retail across two buildings located at 630 & 673 Chapel St. It replaces a surface parking lot and a vacant office building.
“By entering the Connecticut market with a remarkable project in a highly visible neighborhood, we are amplifying Hines’ renewed commitment to the Northeast region while highlighting our vast experience in the multifamily sector,” Tommy Craig, Hines’ senior managing director, said in a statement. “The Whit Wooster Square is particularly notable in that it will enhance our already strong multifamily portfolio and demonstrate the transformational power of quality rental housing.”
The 5-story building’s unit mix includes studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, including several two-floor loft-style units. Units will feature 9-foot ceilings, plank flooring and in-unit full-size washer/dryer and select units also include a walk-in closet and private balcony. The kitchens will boast stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, modern tile backsplashes, and European-style cabinets. Amenities include communal work spaces with private offices; a club room with “chill lounge;” and, a social dining room and with catering kitchen. The social space will connect to a roof terrace featuring grilling stations, bar and lounge seating, a fire pit and views of the tree-lined Olive Street and Wooster Square Park. An outdoor courtyard will feature a resort-style pool; lounge area with fire pit; grilling stations with dining areas; and, a connection to the interior club room. An expansive fitness center with a yoga room, coffee bar, bike room, and dog wash round out the perks.
“The innovation-based economy of New Haven brings a global and forward-thinking demographic to the city and there is a distinct need for well-appointed rental housing,” Grant Jaber, managing director at Hines, said in a statement. “The Whit Wooster Square will play an essential role in reinvigorating the first few blocks east of downtown as one of the first large-scale rental developments in the Wooster Square neighborhood.”
Bank of America provided the construction loan on the project.
