A planned station on the Hartford Line commuter rail hasn’t even started construction and it already has a developer planning a large apartment complex to take advantage of it.
A joint venture of Avon-based Honeycomb Real Estate Partners and West Hartford-based Grava Properties presented conceptual plans to Enfield city councilors earlier this month for a $100 million development on a 3.24-acre brownfield site next to where a station would eventually go.
Honeycomb and Grava representatives told city councilors that the development would include up to 350 apartments built over two phases at 33 North River St. next to the former Bigelow Carpet Mills complex, which has been redeveloped into a 300-unit brick-and-beam multifamily complex called Bigelow Commons.
A riverfront park would be built at the same time, developers said, and once the development team is able to buy a neighboring Eversource surplus property they told councilors that “destination retail” could be part of a future phase as well as more multifamily.
Avon officials said the project would be an “exciting” addition to other planned infrastructure projects and other developments in the area. The developers’ presentation suggested the potential for a new pedestrian bridge across the Connecticut River and a bus rapid transit line between the future train station and the Enfield Mall area.
“Enfield will be transformed,” Town Manager Christopher Bromson told developers during the Town Council meeting. “Literally we’re going to be the gateway to Connecticut.”
The complex might draw residents who’d commute to Boston once Massachusetts’ East-West Rail service starts in 2029, as well as riding Hartford Line trains to Springfield, Hartford or New Haven.