Vernon to apply for grant for Grove Court renovations

Deidre Montague, Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
·2 min read

Apr. 21—VERNON — The town plans to apply for a $1.5 million state grant to help pay for a $5 million project to update the Grove Court apartment complex.

The Town Council on Tuesday voted to apply for the 2022 Small Cities Community Development Block Grant, with Councilwoman Julie Clay absent.

The project would be conducted in partnership with the Housing Authority, as it looks to modernize the complex at 55 Grove St. The subsidized housing complex has seven buildings, with a total of 54 units.

GROVE COURT

WHAT: The Housing Authority is planning a $5 million upgrade to the Grove Court apartment complex.

HOW: Residents may be relocated temporarily while their units are being renovated.

If the $1.5 million state grant is approved, it would be joined with $2.5 million from the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, while the Housing Authority would provide the remaining $1 million needed to fund the entire project.

The town would act as a fiduciary of the funds.

Facility Director Patrick Michael said the renovations are needed to bring Grove Street up to code for accessibility, proper parking, sidewalks, and lighting.

Some of the planned upgrades include extensive site and building work, such as roofing, gutters, siding, windows, new kitchen cabinets, countertops, sinks, energy efficient appliances, and more, Authority Executive Director Betsy Soto told the Town Council.

During the renovation process, Soto said, residents would be transitioned in phases into empty apartment units as they become available, or they would be accommodated at a hotel.

Patrick said residents could be moved out of their apartments between two to three weeks or longer while renovations occur.

Town Councilwoman Ann Levesque was concerned that only 10% of the units — roughly five to six apartments — would be compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

Soto said that while only 10% of the units being renovated under the project would be handicap accessible, any request from a resident for a reasonable accommodation is typically approved.

Deidre Montague covers the towns of Vernon and Stafford.