Beacon Communities Development, the Boston-based developer of Montgomery Mill in Windsor Locks, was awarded funding by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority. Beacon Communities plans to convert the mill into 160 units of mixed-income housing. Beacon Communities Development has successfully redeveloped historic mills, factories, and other buildings into thriving housing communities across New England over the past decade.
Montgomery Mill is located between the Connecticut River and the historic Windsor Locks Canal. The development will have views of both the river and town, with various community amenities, and access to the 4.5-mile Windsor Locks Canal Trail which connects to Suffield and Enfield to the north.
The $60M development is part of a larger effort to renew downtown Windsor Locks and create a transit- oriented district around the Windsor Locks train station, which is expected to be relocated to Main Street in the coming years. Windsor Locks First Selectman Chris Kervick stated: “Our planners have consistently told us that this is the key catalytic development for downtown. Revitalizing Montgomery Mill brings people into downtown and removes a cloud that has persisted over Windsor Locks for too long.”
The redevelopment of downtown Windsor Locks has received support from the following Connecticut agencies: the Office of Policy and Management, the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Housing. The Town of Windsor Locks has also supported the project through the passage of a first-of-its-kind Tax Increment Financing District under new state legislation.
The funding awarded by CHFA is critical to the revitalization plan. According to Dara Kovel, Beacon’s President of Development, “we are thrilled to be part of this year’s round of awards and eager to restore this unique property. Without the support of the town and the state, we never would have gotten this far.” Beacon expects to begin construction later this year and occupancy of the redevelopment in 2019.
Please contact Thacher Tiffany at 617-574-1105 or Dara Kovel at 617-574-1114 for press inquiries or more information.
Beacon is a privately owned real estate firm that develops, acquires, invests in, and manages a wide range of multi-family housing. Our portfolio includes affordable housing, market rate housing and mixed income-housing. Our developments range from new construction, to historic adaptive reuse, to the renovation of existing housing. We take on challenging developments and make them succeed. Our driving passion is to create well-designed, healthy homes that improve the quality of life of our residents and enhance the neighborhoods in which they are located.
