Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 5 By Hanna Snyder Gambini hgambini@hartfordbusiness.com T he town of Windsor has gener- ated investment, jobs and tax revenue through 16 million- plus square feet of new commercial and industrial development in the last 20 years, town officials said. Much of that was within the Day Hill Corporate Area, a 3,000-acre industrial and commercial zone that has been an economic driver for the town, region and state. But shifting market forces and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have left an abundance of vacant office space in the Day Hill Road corridor, while the amount of devel- opable land dwindles and demand for residential projects statewide grows. So, is more commer- cial and industrial development appro- priate for Windsor's main corporate stretch, or would a more diverse mix of uses bring sustain- ability and long-term economic stability to the town? Those are questions local offi- cials, led by Economic Development Director Patrick McMahon, are trying to answer by commissioning a study to analyze the market's current economic climate and provide recommendations that will sustain the area as a regional economic development generator. McMahon said it's time to explore all possible uses within the corridor — with help from community input Deal Watch The Day Hill Corporate Area in Windsor has significant office space vacancies, including in The Hartford's 457,396-square-foot building at 1 Griffin Road North, which has been for sale since 2022. PHOTO | COSTAR Windsor looking to fast-track Day Hill Road corridor redevelopment strategy with new study along with industrial uses such as manufacturing. The study will also map out the best locations for multifamily and mixed-use projects, and make recom- mendations for the adaptive reuse of vacant or underutilized office space. Town officials expect a final report to be completed by February. Once the study is done, the town will consider any recommendations for zoning changes based on data and community input. "We're not certain how much multifamily will be supported or what locations will be deemed appropriate for multifamily, but that's what the study will determine," McMahon said. "We've had devel- opers interested in a few parcels in our industrial zone for multifamily. One was a vacant parcel, and another parcel includes an existing office building that they thought they could potentially redevelop." Currently, multifamily development is not allowed within the Day Hill Corporate Area's industrial zone without special permitting, a zone change or creating an overlay district. That creates extra red tape for developers. For example, the mixed-use resi- dential and industrial Great Pond development, which features a 230-unit apartment complex that is now more than 90% occupied and a 500,000-square-foot Target distribution center, had to become its own zoning district in order to allow the residential component, town — and eventually align zoning regula- tions for future commercial, industrial and/or multifamily projects. The Day Hill Corporate Area stretches from Day Hill Road south to Bloomfield Avenue, and from I-91 West to the Bloomfield town line. Recently completed projects in the corridor include a 170,000-square- foot logistics center at 425 Day Hill Road, where developer Luzern Associates is seeking a tenant. A new 165,000-square-foot Safe- lite Auto Glass center was built at 105 Baker Hollow Road, and a 180,000-square-foot warehouse was recently completed at 205 Baker Hollow Road, which will house tenant Marvin Windows. These projects join other nearby developments like a sprawling Amazon distribution facility and the Day Hill Dome, which is part of a larger recreation and entertainment center. Mix of potential uses The town of Windsor is currently searching for a firm to conduct the analysis of the Day Hill Road corridor. It will include a look at the current land uses in the area, and a supply- and-demand breakdown for other development possibilities ranging from multifamily residential, assisted living, office, hotel and retail projects, Patrick McMahon Continued on next page 2Q 2019 2Q 2020 2Q 2021 2Q 2022 2Q 2023 2Q 2024* 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0 OVERALL VACANCY RATE CLASS A VACANCY RATE * In the first quarter of 2024, Windsor had 28 office buildings with 3.17 million square feet of space, accounting for 10.4% of all office space in Greater Hartford. | Source: CBRE WINDSOR'S OFFICE VACANCY RATES

• Cover