Transforming Hotels into Affordable Apartments

0:00A company called Bluevale Capital wants to transform the 96-room Marriott Residence Inn in Windsor, Connecticut into 96 apartments. They'd rent 77 at market rates and keep 19 affordable for folks earning up to 80% of the area's median income. This fits a bigger push to turn old hotels into housing. Meanwhile, another firm eyes the smaller Granby Motel for a similar makeover. In the last five years, developers have flipped struggling hotels, empty offices, even churches and synagogues into rentals across the state. Bluevale says their plan skips the mess of new builds, no loud trucks or long delays, while keeping the sites long time vibe. The hotel opened 39 years ago, near booming office parks, packed with insurance jobs. But those spots emptied out as companies merged and remote work exploded during the pandemic. Business travel never fully bounced back, squeezing hotels like this one, which is still run by out of state owners. Bluevale's pitch highlights studios and one bedroom lofts spread across 12 buildings, perfect for downsizing seniors, young workers or anyone, wanting low maintenance spots.

1:08They'd modernize the front, expand the back to double the size, and add 10 garages. Windsor's Planning and Zoning Commission could greenlight it any day now, easing the local housing crunch without starting from scratch. That's your update from Hartford News Today, powered by AI.