First West Hartford Center apartment development in 6 years could test upper limits of rents, with ' luxury living’

The first rental construction in six years in trendy West Hartford Center is expected to begin in a month as two forlorn buildings are torn down to make way for luxury apartments that could test the upper limits of the area’s asking rents.

The 48-unit apartment building will replace the buildings at 920 and 924 Farmington Avenue — an area considered the gateway to the heart of the Center. The new rentals could be ready by the fall of 2023.

The mixed-use project — expected to cost more than $15 million — has been christened “The Byline” after a writer’s credit at the top of a newspaper story. The name also draws on the town’s legacy of publishing and being the birthplace of Noah Webster.

“So, the idea of ‘The Byline,’ as when you write a story, we felt this was a new beginning for West Hartford, and we wanted to give it a very classic name and also the feel of all the branding that goes with it,” said Jeremy Staub, owner of Box 8 Creative in New Haven, a designer on the project.

Developer Avner Krohn, of New Britain-based Jasko Development, a major force in apartment construction in central Connecticut, has partnered with Brian Zelman, a principal in Zelman Real Estate, and Richard Korris, of Jaz-1 Investments on the 4-story project. A ground floor will include 10,000 square feet of commercial space.

The one- and two-bedroom units are projected to rent for between $3,000 and $4,000 a month. The apartments are expected to range in size from about 700 square feet to 1,300 square feet, with two-bedroom units having two baths.

“We believe that if any market in Hartford County has the ability to achieve those rents, it is West Hartford Center,” Krohn said.

Krohn said the cost of construction is almost double per square foot of other projects in central Connecticut, based on town building requirements.

Inflation and supply-chain disruptions also are pushing up costs, increasing prices for materials such as steel that is necessary for the project, Krohn said.

“We are hopeful that future tenants will appreciate the level of finishes, location and visibility,” Krohn said.

The Byline will be among the tallest structures in the Center, second only, Krohn said, to the DELAMAR West Hartford hotel.

Paying a premium

In West Hartford Center, apartment market occupancy is extremely tight, well above 90%, with some waiting lists extending out months.

The demand also comes amid a general rise in rents in Greater Hartford and throughout Connecticut.

At the 18-unit, 24 North Main St. apartment building, opened in 2016, monthly rents for one- and two-bedroom units range from $2,600 to $3,375, according to its website.

That compares with $2,500 to $3,200 at the same building just six months ago.

The projected rents for The Byline would go beyond, and well above town-wide averages for West Hartford.

“I would realistically say, it is on the higher side,” Kristen Gorski, West Hartford’s economic development coordinator, said. “I think, in West Hartford Center, you’re paying that premium for where you are located.”

Across West Hartford, the average for a one-bedroom unit is $1,600 and a two-bedroom is $1,900 to $2,000, Gorski said. But that also factors in older apartments that haven’t been renovated in recent years, Gorski said.

The ‘Wow’ factor

The development comes as more suburban towns in Greater Hartford seek to boost housing in their town centers to make them more walkable and vibrant, a trend emerging across the country.

In addition to The Byline, more housing is planned for the gateway to West Hartford Center, on the nearby site of The Children’s Museum, which is relocating.

Gorski said the location of The Byline, just west of the intersection of Farmington Avenue and Trout Brook Drive, is ideal.

“Obviously, we have housing stock on both sides of the Center — to the east and to the west — and some of it is older housing stock, so it’s really nice to have something brand new to the Center,” Gorski said.

More residents in the Center will further enhance walkability and support for local businesses.

“It’s really great to have additional boots on the ground,” Gorski said.

The partners in The Byline say they expect an eclectic mix of tenants, including perhaps young professionals and empty-nesters but not exclusive to any one group.

Close to both the heart of the Center and Blue Back Square, there are restaurants, shops and services. A Whole Foods grocery store is just a short walk away across Farmington Avenue.

“You’ll have folks that will want urban living that can access everything on foot. There’s a bus line, people who may work in the Center,” Zelman said.

The building’s exterior defies pigeon-holing, Krohn said. The design doesn’t fall into a specific architectural category, not purely contemporary, modern or even historic, Krohn said.

“It’s not a contemporary building that’s cold,” Krohn said. “It’s a balance between the modern and the contemporary because you have clean lines, you have angles, you have lots of glazing, but you also have brick, and we have metal.”

Amenities will include an exterior patio tucked around the side of the building, a tenant lounge and bike storage, both inside and out, and some parking under the building. The developers also point to the nearby Trout Brook Walking Trail as a plus.

An exercise area isn’t planned because there are options a short distance away from the apartments.

Common areas are being designed to convey an “art deco-slash-modern vibe incorporating brass accents,” Jillian Tara, a senior interior designer at Phase Zero Design in Simsbury, said. “We wanted the space to be really exciting, luxurious, so when people walked in, they’d say, ‘Wow.’”

The apartments will incorporate quartz “waterfall” countertops, stainless steel appliances, under-the-counter lighting and luxury vinyl tile floors, Tara said.

“Many luxury buildings may have a little nice facade, and then you go into the interior, the apartments may be lacking,” Krohn said. “Here it carries through: The luxury living is going to carry through the apartments and the common areas.”

Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at kgosselin@courant.com.