By Anne White
The ribbon cutting ceremony officially marked the completion of the first phase of Armstrong Court’s transformation to modern housing by the Housing Authority of the Town of Greenwich (HATG). There are 18 new construction townhouses contained in 6 buildings representing Phase 1 of the overall Armstrong Court redevelopment project.
While the Housing Authority is part of the town government and the members of its Board of Commissioners are appointed by the Board of Selectmen, the Housing Authority operates independently. The responsibility for the financing falls on the Housing Authority, not the town government.
The existing buildings at Armstrong Court were originally constructed in 1951 as a 144-unit family development contained in six buildings. With the addition of 18 new units in the first phase and rehabilitation of the buildings, the total redevelopment will result in 150 units, an increase of 6 units.
Town and state officials were among the 100+ attendees.
“This is a transformative step toward the future of affordable housing for the Town of Greenwich, helping residents to shape their lives productively and create new beginnings,” said Anthony Johnson, Executive Director of the Housing Authority. “We are committed to providing the opportunity to live in quality, affordable housing through fiscally responsible asset management of our resources, and these 18 units are an exceptional example of our capabilities.”
Local officials in attendance included the First Selectmen Fred Camillo, Second Selectman Lauren Rabin, and Selectman Jill Oberlander; State Sen. Alex Kasser, State Reps. Livvy Floren, Stephen Meskers, and Harry Arora; Former First Selectman Peter Tesei, Former Selectman Drew Marzullo and State Sen. candidate Ryan Fazio.
Members of the Board of Estimate & Taxation in attendance included Chairman Michael Mason, Leslie Moriarity, and Miriam Kreuzer and were joined by Board of Education Member and State Rep. candidate Joe Kelly.
Several members of the RTM were present, including two recognized by Sam Romeo: Linda Moshier and Irene Dietrich.
Camillo praised the project leaders saying, “Greenwich is a wonderful community, and it is very diverse. It is expensive to live here, so affordable housing is crucial to our community, but it also critical that we get it done right. Sam, Tony, and the Commissioners have done it right.”
As for the new townhouses themselves, Camillo called them “a point of pride for not only the Town, but here in Chickahominy. Keep doing what you are doing; you’ve got a lot of support.”
The Commissioner of Housing from the State of Connecticut, Seila Mosquera-Bruno, congratulated the Housing Authority’s efforts and promised future support: “The Department of Housing invested $3.4M in these homes; and will continue supporting your development efforts. We have funded phase II and III, so that you can continue your work, we don’t want you to stop. Mosquera-Bruno recognized the need in the community; ‘We need more homes like these, affordable to families. We all know how difficult it is to build homes with affordable rents, especially in Fairfield County; however, the completion of phase one shows that it can be achieved.”
A considerable amount of support from the State of CT, CHFA, and DOH was also cited by Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) CEO Nandini Natarajan who said, “Armstrong Court is a significant investment for CHFA. In the first 3 phases, CHFA is investing more than $16 million in Tax-Exempt Bonds. However, we are not alone in our investments. CHFA is one member of a strong financial partnership assembled by the Housing Authority of the Town of Greenwich. Our partners at DOH are also making a significant investment (of $12.2 million) along with Enterprise, the tax credit syndicator, who purchased the Low Income Housing Tax Credits (of $18.1 million in federal 4% and 9% LIHTCs). In addition, there are other private investors, and Eversource, that purchased state tax credits and provided energy rebates.”
The new unit mix includes six two-bedroom units and 12 three-bedroom units, with 1 ½ bathrooms in each. The units were constructed on previous underdeveloped land and under Energy Star standards with energy efficiency features. The first 18 units will serve as replacement housing to ease the relocation and rehabilitation logistics of the second phase. Phase 2 will include the gut rehabilitation of Buildings #1, 3, and 6, expected to begin in late summer. Each construction phase is slated to take 12 months.
Residents will be shifted within the complex while the units are gutted and rehabilitated. After each phase of construction is complete, residents are moved into the newly refurbished units. The next phases of the redevelopment project will combine the current one-bedroom and two-bedroom units to produce more three-bedroom, two-bathroom units.
Sam Romeo, Chairman of the HATG Board, said, “This represents the future of the HATG, with plans to build nearly 300 units, increasing affordable housing in Greenwich. This is important for everyone, making Greenwich a more attractive place to build and to thrive in our neighborhoods. We are moving forward into a very bright future. I thank everyone who helped us along the way.”
The Housing Authority of the Town of Greenwich was the developer of the new construction. Charles E. McDonald served as the architect with A. Vitti Excavators as General Contractor. HATG will serve as Property Manager, as it has considerable experience in managing affordable housing.
“The Housing Authority of the Town of Greenwich, unlike most housing authorities, directs and controls its projects without the need for a private development partner. This is possible because of the strength and expertise of our team,” explained Johnson.
The Town has also invested in the Greenwich Pool and rejuvenation of Byram Park, which is nearby. Through Family Centers, the Armstrong Court Preschool offers School Readiness classes for income-eligible families with children ages 3-5 years. The preschool also houses the Greenwich Head Start Program. Both are sponsored by HATG.
The Housing Authority of the Town of Greenwich defines it mission more broadly than the conventional notion of brick and mortar. They also encourage a sense of community, purpose, and personal growth, helping residents to shape their lives productively.
Working in unique collaborative partnerships that tap a multitude of resources available within the Greenwich community and from state and federal organizations, the Housing Authority has implemented a broad-based group of support services to strengthen family life, foster stable home environments, drug-free living, independence, and self-sufficiency.
There are 837 units in 15 properties under the HATG, including home-ownership condominiums, scattered-site housing, various developments, and Parsonage Cottage. The Housing Authority also administers 343 families through the Section 8 Program. Total residents served through all programs is 2,574.
