'Brisk demand' for Ponemah Mills. Apartments are snapped up before they're even complete.

Matt Grahn, The Bulletin
·3 min read

NORWICH — The revival of one of Norwich’s historic mill buildings, The Lofts at Ponemah Mills, continues to move forward, with another part finishing up this year.

Finbar O’Neill, director of operations for developer One Key, LLC, said Wednesday the third phase, with 77 units, is nearly complete, providing some certificates of occupancy are returned. Of those units, 65 are committed to tenants, and there are about 20 qualified tenants on the waiting list.

"'There is a brisk demand’ is probably the best way to put it,” O’Neill said.

More: 'Best sandwich in Connecticut': Press On Sandwich Crafters has Monty Python-inspired menu

O’Neill is expecting the large building of phase three to be full and occupied in the next 30 days. The other two buildings are finishing up construction, and he expects to have the certificate of occupancy in the next two weeks, when he can start to move people in.

Painters Edwin Montenegro of Clinton, left, and Raul Brito of Old Lyme paint a foyer entrance Wednesday as apartments near completion in Phase III at The Lofts at Ponemah Mills in the Taftville section of Norwich.
Painters Edwin Montenegro of Clinton, left, and Raul Brito of Old Lyme paint a foyer entrance Wednesday as apartments near completion in Phase III at The Lofts at Ponemah Mills in the Taftville section of Norwich.

O’Neill expects the third phase of Ponemah Mill to be completed and fully occupied by the end of the year.

The prior two existing phases of Ponemah Mill, with 237 units, are fully rented out, with occasional turnover.

As for who is renting the apartments, O’Neill said it’s a combination of casino workers, Electric Boat employees, and military personnel, along with older individuals who are looking to downsize.

Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom said one of the important parts of the Ponemah Mills project is that it can serve people of all income levels with affordable and market-rate units.

“If you live there, it’s income blind,” Nystrom said. “Nobody knows what your income is, but you all have access to the same quality housing.”

Apartments near completion in Phase III at The Lofts at Ponemah Mills in the Taftville section of Norwich.
Apartments near completion in Phase III at The Lofts at Ponemah Mills in the Taftville section of Norwich.

Looking forward, more work on the property will start this winter. The owning entity of those buildings, 555 South Mill, LLC and 557 South Mill, LLC, received $797,000 in grant funding from the state Department of Economic Development to help develop 141 more units, along with 6,000 square feet of commercial space.

“Now that we have the heads in beds, we want to try to create a community that supports it,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill said he wants the commercial spaces to complement existing businesses in the Taftville area and “make it a place to call home.”

O’Neill said environmental cleanup on the South Mill will start in the winter and continue through the spring, before construction can begin.

O’Neill is also expecting to be at full occupancy once the South Mill buildings are completed.

More: How much did a 4-bedroom Norwich home sell for? Map: 92 October real estate deals.

Kevin Brown, president of the Norwich Community Development Corporation, said with the ongoing growth of Electric Boat and other employers, Norwich wants to provide quality living spaces for people coming to the city, and commuting through southeastern Connecticut, as the area has its own charm.

“(We want to) give folks a reason to be downtown, but still live in a suburban environment,” Brown said.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Casino, Electric Boat workers, military among Ponemah Mill tenants