MERIDEN — The Maynard Road Corp. is teaming up with developers to assist on two projects downtown and one on the east side.
Maynard Road Corp. is the development arm of the Meriden Housing Authority. It bids and partners on projects inside and outside the city limits and shares the same executive director and board members as the MHA.
Maynard Road Executive Director Robert Cappelletti offered to help the owner of 21-23 Colony St. close a $1 million gap in funding through energy tax credits. Maynard Road employees will add insulation and windows to the building.
“It will bring the cost of the operations down and allows you to generate more savings,” Cappelletti said. “It will provide tax credits for the improvements.”
John LaRosa, who owns 21-23 Colony St., could not be reached for comment.
The building, which used to house an eatery and a small lingerie shop, has been vacant for more than a decade. But it has attracted the attention of the CT Main Street Come Home to Downtown program, which gives property owners free architectural design work, cost estimates and other advice on rehabilitating residential/commercial buildings.
Built in 1889, the four story building contains 12 apartment units and 6,000 square feet of retail. John Simone, president and chief executive officer of Connecticut Main Street Center, has previously said the plan is to fill the apartment units before concentrating on commercial prospects. LaRosa’s building looks out on the Meriden Green and is close to the new train station.
The Women and Families Center has also contacted Maynard Road about managing their new 12-unit housing project for 18 to 24 year olds who lack stable housing. The planned apartment building will be at 183 Colony St., the site of the Women & Families Center Annex building.
“Our organization has worked with organizations for supportive housing,” said Kristin Anderson, senior development manager for the Corporation for Supportive Housing in Connecticut. “This is our first opportunity to address youth homelessness in Connecticut.”
The Women & Families Center was able to secure funding from the state Department of Housing and the state Department of Economic and Community Development.
Anderson said the three-story building will have three floors with studio apartments. The first floor will feature a community room and computer lab and some commercial space. The center will provide case management and job training programs.
Maynard Road will collect rents, pay bills and manage the property, Cappelletti said.
Maynard Road is also in the early stages of a partnership with Rockfall Construction on a plan for 40 market-rate units on Pomeroy Avenue.
“It’s stil early in the process,” Cappelletti said. “We want to find out if (the apartments will) compete with downtown.”
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