Affordable housing complex may open soon

GRC plans to complete first 12 homes at The Renaissance by December
September 26, 2006; As originally appeared in The News-Times by Robert Gold

DANBURY -- An affordable housing complex, vacant for four years, could be open for residents by the end of this year, its developer said.

GRC Property & Investment Development plans to finish the first 12 homes at the former High Ridge housing complex this December, said Gary Michael, one of GRC's owners.

The entire 60-home project --- renamed The Renaissance -- should be complete by April 2008. The buildings likely will be open 12 at a time, Michael said.

The property was formerly owned by the Danbury Housing Authority but has been empty since 2002.

In May 2003, Wachovia Bank demanded the authority pay back $11 million in loans. The bank learned that the former executive director, Bernie Fitzpatrick, gave $1 million in borrowed money without permission to a contractor working on the High Ridge Gardens project. The contractor eventually declared bankruptcy and Fitzpatrick resigned.

This past summer, the vacant buildings were sold by the housing authority to GRC for $3.1 million. That helped to pay off the outstanding Wachovia bill, said Dom Chieffalo, chairman of the authority, a quasi-governmental group whose members are appointed by the city.

Construction started the same day.

"We are putting one of the roofs on as we speak," Michael said Monday. "We gutted the interiors of the other four buildings."

Michael said home ownership could do wonders for the area.

"That's a whole different venue where people are much more conscious of their surroundings," he said.

Two-bedroom homes will sell for $190,000 and three-bedroom homes will sell for $210,000.

The Housing Development Fund, a Stamford-based group that helps low-income residents, has been holding classes for people interested in buying the homes. The Housing Development Fund also screens applicants for the housing.

Joan Carty, executive director of the Housing Development Fund, said about 220 families have shown interest in the homes. The non-profit group is still taking applications.

"It is still completely open," she said.

Chieffalo said Danbury Housing Authority renters will receive preference in buying the homes. That should clear up more rental units for people on the waiting list, he said.

"I think there is a trickle-down effect with that on affordable housing in the area," he said.