The Planning and Zoning Commission on April 3 unanimously approved a text amendment to zoning regulations that now allows elderly housing in the historic residential zone at five properties, including the Felician Sisters’ campus. There were stipulations attached to the ammended rule, including one that calls for the minimum lot area to be at least 10 acres and one restricting the maximum height of the buildings to 35 feet.
Felicians Campus Redevelopment
Felician Campus Redevelopment
ENFIELD — The Felician Sisters, whose Our Lady of the Angels convent has been a fixture in town for more than 90 years, are a step closer to leaving a legacy of affordable rental housing for older residents on their campus now that zoning regulations allow such units in the town’s historic residential area.
The Sisters are working with their partner, the Boston-based nonprofit The Community Builders, on building 45 affordable housing units for older adults in an addition to the now-empty St. Felix Center. The project is supported by a $10 million grant awarded to The Community Builders in 2023 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Multifamily Housing Programs.
The Felician Sisters have run the Our Lady of the Angels Convent and its surrounding buildings on Enfield Street since 1932. At one time, there were hundreds of nuns living on the property, but numbers have dwindled to about 23 today. As a way to have the campus live on for the community, the sisters teamed with The Community Builders to build housing for people 62 and older who want to remain in Enfield and live within their financial means.
The Felician Sisters and their attorney, Carl Landolina, will next appear before the PZC for a site plan review and special permit.
Residents with homes near the nearly 30-acre campus at 1315 Enfield St., many of whom previously voiced concern about the project’s impact on the historic district, have praised the Felician Sisters, The Community Builders, and Landolina, for working with them on refining plans for the benefit of all living in the neighborhood.
Ann Marie Galdenzi said Landolina and project applicants interacted with a few of the neighbors several times through emails, phone calls, and online conferences, the result of which was the proposed text amendment. “We really appreciate their time and effort talking with us and getting our viewpoint and opinion,” she said. “Those of us who met with them and others I have talked to personally agree with what exists today. I think most of the neighbors are good to go here.”
PZC members also praised the project. “I commend all the parties,” said Chairman Francis Alaimo. He said when Felician Sisters began appearing before the commission with plans for a larger housing project, he thought something to do with the elderly would be more in keeping with the nun’s mission
“It was a good change and just by the number of people who were in opposition that aren’t in opposition now speaks volumes,” Alaimo said.
The Felician Sisters’ original plans called for more housing on the campus. Beginning in 2021, they appeared with Community Builders before the PZC and several times revised a proposed project for what would have been 330 apartments for multifamily, mixed-generation housing units in response to concerns of residents. Among the issues residents raised was increased traffic in the surrounding neighborhood, higher taxes to support the public schools should families with children rent units, and the effect it would have on views of the historic district.
In 2022, the representatives came before the PZC and described a new proposal that would have added 250 rental apartments on the campus. Some members of the community supported the proposed project, though it eventually did not win approval by the commission.
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By Susan Danseyar
April 8, 2024
middletownpress.com