FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2022
CONTACT Stacy Graham-Hunt Stacy@narrative-project.com 203.843.5991
Felician Sisters of Enfield and The Community Builders Present Revised Redevelopment Plan at Community Meeting
The Proposed Enfield Campus Redevelopment Is Majority Senior Housing
Enfield, CT – Representatives from the Felician Sisters, in partnership with nonprofit developer The Community Builders (TCB), met with members of the community at the Enfield Senior Center on Wednesday night to discuss their upcoming redevelopment plan to create safe, stable intergenerational housing on their campus. During the community meeting, TCB and representatives from the Felician Sisters provided information on the revised redevelopment plan and answered questions from the public about the proposed project. Thirty-six members of the Enfield community attended the meeting, with light refreshments provided. “Enfield is the beloved home of the Felician Sisters, and has been for the past 90 years, which is why we have given such serious thought to the legacy we want to leave,” said Julie James, chief administrative officer of the Felician Senior Services, a ministry of the Sisters. “We believe that the redevelopment of the campus is an opportunity to preserve the legacy of the Felician Sisters by continuing to serve our community, but we can’t preserve the campus without the support of the people in this room.” During the meeting, attendees expressed a desire to remain updated on project developments and the opportunity to provide their own feedback. “For an undertaking as significant as this redevelopment, it is only the beginning. We will continue to listen and engage with our neighbors and our community members to find the best path to preserve this home that is so sacred to all of us,” said James. The redevelopment plan will go before the Enfield Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) on June 30, 2022 to request the necessary zoning changes required to move the project forward. The plan, which has been modified based on community feedback since its original submission to PZC one year ago, includes creating a mixed-income, intergenerational community for seniors and families, preserving and adapting existing buildings, and providing shared community spaces for worship, career development and wellness services. “The Felician Campus Redevelopment isn’t solely about creating much-needed housing for the community,” said Kristin Anderson, senior development project manager at TCB. “This is an opportunity to invest in the community and to enshrine the legacy and values that the Sisters have built and practiced here in Enfield.” The community meeting began with a presentation by TCB, who delivered a detailed overview of the project, its goals and the shared values of TCB and the Felician Sisters. TCB also reviewed community feedback they received after their initial proposal last year. Based on the plans released by TCB, the intention is to preserve the campus’ existing buildings, and no new construction will be built in Enfield’s Historic Parade Grounds along Enfield Street. New construction is planned to be limited to the eastern portion of the campus near Route 91, and none of the buildings will be taller than any currently existing buildings. A traffic study conducted by Fuss & O’Neill, a New England-based engineering firm, showed existing roads and intersections will have the capacity to support projected traffic from the development. The project is planned to be completed in phases over the next 10 years. “I attended the meeting to learn more about the Felician Sisters' plan for a zoning change to redevelop their campus in Enfield and their partnership with TCB,” said John Malinoski, an attendee who was born and raised in Enfield. “I was impressed by their goal, which is to further the legacy of the Felician Sisters and to provide affordable housing for the Town of Enfield. The changes they’ve made to the original plan are thoughtful and consistent with the current integrity and history of the property.” TCB will have a 99-year ground lease on the properties while the Felician Sisters will continue to own the campus’ land in perpetuity. The Felician Sisters will continue to support their ministries, such as the Enfield Montessori School and St. Francis Residence, while TCB provides on-site management and operations of the campus. TCB and the Felician Sisters will host a virtual community meeting on June 27th at 6:00 pm for residents who were unable to attend. Attendees can join via RingCentral here.
Sister Anita Addresses the crowd.
Julie James, Chief Administrative Officer of the Felician Senior Services, a ministry of the Sisters, addresses the crowd.
Kristin Anderson, Senior Development Project Manager at The Community Builders, addresses the crowd.
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About The Community Builders (TCB), TCB is one of America's leading nonprofit housing organizations. Our mission is to build and sustain strong communities where all people can thrive. We realize our mission by developing, financing and operating residential communities, neighborhood amenities and resident opportunity programs. Since 1964, we have constructed or preserved hundreds of affordable and mixed-income housing developments and pioneered the Community Life (CL) model for resident success. Today, anchored by offices in Boston, Chicago, Columbus, New York and Washington, D.C., we own or manage 13,000 apartment homes in more than 14 states.