Avner Krohn, the multifamily developer perhaps best known for his almost single-handed campaign to revitalize downtown New Britain, is expanding his reach to New London.
With the Eastern Connecticut metro area in a housing boom thanks to rapid growth at Groton’s Electric Boat Co. defense contractor, Krohn’s Jasko Development has partnered with fellow Hartford-area developer Brian Zelman to pitch a new apartment building in the area.
According to documents filed with the town of Colchester, the joint venture wants to build 168 units on a wooded lot at 239 Norwich Ave., a third of a mile from the town’s center and a half-hour drive from Electric Boat’s shipyard.
The application describes five 3-story buildings, plus a clubhouse, with amenities including an on-site dog park, co-working space, electric vehicle charging stations, a golf simulator, fitness center, pet spa and outdoor pool and fire pits. A unit mix is not detailed but the application states 10 percent of the units will be reserved as affordable housing.
The development team is also asking town officials for significant tax abatement over 10 years to help offset rising interest rates and what they claim will be greater difficulty landing financing given Colchester’s “not well established” market for luxury rentals.
If approved, the project will join a nearly-complete, 111-unit Bloomfield apartment building and an under-construction mixed office-multifamily West Hartford building among Krohn and Zelman’s latest joint developments.





