Trumbull-based Connecticut Housing Partners has purchased the former Holiday Inn Downtown with plans to convert the nearly 100 market-rate units into affordable housing and relocate its headquarters to the first floor.
Primrose Companies that has developed several housing and office structures in Bridgeport bought the old hotel several years ago, converting it into market-rate housing.
Connecticut’s most populous city is a hotel desert but groundbreaking is expected this summer by Marriott for a hotel at the Steelpointe Harbor redevelopment area.
From News 12. Full report here
The old Holiday Inn in Downtown Bridgeport has changed ownership for the second time in two years with the new owners turning the property into 100% affordable housing.
Connecticut Housing Partners, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary, just bought the property, which was converted into market-rate housing back in 2023.
Renee Dobos, CEO of the nonprofit, says its mission is to build and sustain affordable homes for “seniors living on a fixed income” and for members of the workforce.
…”There’s 97 units and right now…it’s about 95 or 96% leased up. It’s all market rate right now, but as people move out and as units become available, we’re going to slowly convert it to affordable housing,” Dobos explains. “So the first floor is still as it was for the original hotel, it still had the ballroom, it still has the meeting rooms, so we’re going to convert all of that to become office space, and that will become our headquarters, so we’ll be moving into this building as well.”
Connecticut Housing Partners says moving its headquarters from Trumbull to Bridgeport will enhance its ability to provide affordable housing to thousands of residents who are “working paycheck to paycheck.”
all the money dumped into downtown being flushed down the toilet. Affordable housing downtown is freaking horrible. Had to stay at market rate in order for it to continue to grow and prosper. This is the beginning in turning downtown a crime ridden shit hole……All those people earning good money and living downtown WILL START MOVING OUT AND TURN THE DOWNTOWN AREA BACK TO A CRAPPY SHIT HOLE
“…This is the beginning in turning downtown a crime ridden shit hole…”
We’re already there. We’ve been there for quite a while… Even the after-hours bars can’t stay in business downtown, otherwise we’d have a higher downtown murder rate… Really, outside of the classy anomaly of Ralph and Rich’s, downtown is just quiescent dormitory and office space — and that’s going to the burbs’ pretty soon to occupy vacant mall space…
Bridgeport. No plan. No commercial tax base. No future.
But but..all I read from the mayor’s office is “ the downtown area is on the move,apts filled,restaurants are opening,coffee shops,delis moving in”..I just don’t see it,Saturday evening about 6:30 or so,I drove down main st,Broad st etc,it was dead,hardly any foot traffic,couldn’t even tell what was open & what was closed honestly…I read a few months ago that a cheesecake bakery moved in the arcade mall,I didn’t get a chance to go right away,by the time I got around to going,it already closed up I guess..Just depressing watching our city decay year by year..
THE ARCADE???????????? EVERYTHING DIES IN THERE
What are the housing issues in Bridgeport aside from
* Market rate vs affordable units available?
* An accurate count of homeless folks and City rather than not-for-profit efforts to serve folks year round.
* Bridgeport Housing Authority a/k/a Park City Communities holding hearings on a $50 Million bond for East Washington housing plan not yet disclosed to the City Council. Part of what City plan?
* Support for resident-owner self-governance issues of condominiums or co-op housing in Bridgeport, Ex. Success Village problems caused both Stratford and Bridgeport leaders to beome financially involved, after the fact, rather than before in support of owner-residents attempting to serve official by-laws.
* What about homeowners on streets where contractors failed one or more building issues and those streets are not “official” and served?
*What specific property and buildings does the City own and/or control appropriate to housing and what is the value as recorded in the reassessment?
Perhaps there are a few more good questions that deserve better answers than ignorance as part of the status quo. Fire away. Time will tell.
“Had to stay at market rate in order for it to continue to grow and prosper.”
Not when the “market rate” is ridiculously high.