Tempers Flare as Residents, Council Members Oppose Beecher Street Project

Residents of Beecher Street and surrounding neighborhoods have made their opinions clear to members of the Southington Town Council – they do not want a 30-unit development of any kind, whether senior housing or another type of unit, in the old-time Italian neighborhood.

Nearly 60 people, many from the areas around the former Beecher Street School and Board of Education offices, came out Monday evening for a public hearing into sale of the property. Discussions became heated and highly contentious as residents adamantly rejected the idea of a $220,000 sale of the property to a private organization for development of affordable senior housing units.


“For a century years now, that red brick building has been an integral part of the neighborhood. The area around the building remains as close-knit, small community,” said Joseph Miceli, resident of Beecher St. “This threatens to change the fundamental characteristic of the neighborhood and devalue our properties.”

And the concerns presented were strong enough that after the nearly one hour and 30 minute public hearing – and despite heated debate that nearly came to blows on the history leading up to the hearing – both Democrats and Republicans were unanimous in tabling the matter and suggesting it may be time to go in a different direction.

Heading into Monday’s public hearing, members of the council seemed poised, along party lines, to move forward with a plan that would sell the 49 Beecher St. property to Beecher St., LLC. The group, owned by William Martin of Watertown and Wolcott resident Ralph Monti, was proposing to buy the property and renovate it.

The group is a client of Councilman Louis Martocchio, a Republican, who has not voted on the matter.

Under the proposal, Beecher St., LLC, would develop 30-34 units of private senior affordable housing and renovate the old building to include a community room and kitchen that would be available for use, free of rent, to non-profit and community organizations in Southington. Most apartments would be around 700 square feet and served by a community laundry facility.

Monti appeared before the council Monday, saying the plan did not call for low income housing – a specific housing defined under Section 8 regulations – but affordable housing that would be offered to residents able to pay.

Prices would be set at 80 percent of market price for most apartments, approximately $850 for two-bedroom units and $700 for one-bedroom apartments, with up to 9 units priced at just 60 percent of market value.

“Since 2008, many seniors here have lost a lot of money in investments or income and are really hurting,” Barry said, noting that there is a waiting list of nearly 200 people requesting service from the town’s Housing Authority. “The average cost per apartment is $306 (through the Housing Authority). Many of the seniors who want affordable housing would not be able to afford this.”

Barry and Housing Authority member Dennis Conroy, both Democrats, initially indicated that the Housing Authority could use the property, despite accusations that politics led to an eventual letter from the commission rejecting an idea of renovating the property.

The value of the property, which is appraised at nearly $800,000 and assessed at more than $500,000 according to information available through the Southington Town Assessor’s Office, was also brought into question.

But those concerns – along with perceived support from Republican members of the council for the sale of the property – took a back seat as the residents showed overwhelming rejection to the idea of any multi-unit development or commercial use.

Nearly a dozen residents, backed by a neighborhood petition with over 100 separate signatures, demanded the council consider the neighborhoods needs and do what is right for the community and keep the property as open space, redeveloping the building for public use or tearing it down for single-family dwellings or duplexes.

Susan Wojenski and Dean Zubko, who collected the signatures for the petition, each said that no multi-use or multi-unit complex would improve the neighborhood, instead causing significant traffic issues and diminished quality of life.

“Apartments of any kind don’t fit the standard of the neighborhood. The street is narrow, there is no room for cars and there won’t be parking for that on a 1.7 acre property once it is built out,” Wojenski said. “The town is not going to make considerable tax revenue for this and it is something we are all opposed to. None of us want this and we will oppose it all the way down the line.”

Zubko said the neighborhood, one of the town’s oldest with many homes and properties more than 100 years old, still has an Italian appeal and homeowners have worked hard to maintain the quality.

After hearing from the residents, Republican Peter Romano and Barry, who initially proposed senior housing at the location to assist the Housing Authority, each said they would need to think long and hard about the best option for the location.

The council voted unanimously, with Martocchio abstaining from conversation and vote, to table the matter until the Sept. 30 council meeting.

“I’ve looked at the list of those signed petition. It’s all people who are really opposed and would be opposed to the (Housing Authority) getting it as well,” Barry said. “The concerns are about density. We’ve heard loud and clear and we need to re-gather what want to do with this part of Southington, old Southington.”

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