UConn continues to seek expansion of housing opportunities for undergraduate students in Hartford. A key committee offered initial approval of a plan to convert empty office space along Pratt Street into suite-style dorms.
Those involved in funding the project said 242 Trumbull, which sits on the corner of Trumbull and Pratt, being converted into housing for students would be good not just for Pratt Street, but Hartford at large.
“When it came to looking for housing it was that convenience factor,” said David Garces, explaining his search for housing in Hartford.
He is about to be a UConn student, and will be working on Hartford Campus, but taking classes in Storrs. He wanted to live in Hartford but said housing for undergraduates proved a challenge.
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When told about potential undergrad housing in Hartford, he expected it to be a big draw.
“Having that opportunity to have that on campus housing would be a great way to have students want to be here,” Garces said.
“It will be stripped down and renovated into a residential living environment,” said Mike Freimuth, executive director of the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA).
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He said the project would create four floors of roughly 200 suite-style dorms at 242 Trumbull.
Their housing committee gave initial approval of a $10 million loan for the project on Thursday.
The total cost of the conversion according to Freimuth totals $28 Million and is made up of a private mortgage and developer funding, a state and local grant and their loan.
There are still several hurdles the project must clear. An agreement between the University Trustees and the developers, which according to a university spokesperson, hasn’t happened yet.
Also, the funding must get approval from the full CRDA board and the state bond commission before it can move forward.
“There are a lot of elements of this that play into a transformation of the downtown core reflecting UConn’s investment,” Freimuth said.
He said the project hits multiple aspects of Hartford’s goals for the future, including adding housing, filling vacant office space, giving local students opportunities for jobs with local businesses and boosting business.
“It will get students on Pratt Street where we have done a lot of investment on retail, restaurants, the entertainment zone,” Freimuth said.
The current goal is to have the dorms ready by the fall of 2025.
“The kids are going to love it, it’s a no brainer and Pratt Street is a really good time,” said David McSurgi, who noted his jealousy of students that would have the chance to live along Pratt Street.
He loves the idea for future UConn Hartford students and the city.
“It would be the best thing for Hartford, best thing for the state,” McSurgi said.
Hartford’s Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said in a statement to NBC Connecticut:
“This is an exciting time for downtown Hartford, and we’re proud of the strong relationship we have with UConn and our downtown campus. Hartford is a college town, and we want students to feel at home and to take advantage of all the amenities and vibrancy our historic Pratt Street corridor has to offer. We’ll continue to work with our partners at UConn to build on the success and growth of our campus.”
According to Freimuth, if the 2025 timeline doesn’t work out, they would bump it back to fall of 2026.
