1970 in Review by Pete Zizka 1-7-2021 |
If today were January 7,
1971 and we were reviewing stories of the previous year, we would see
that housing dominated the news and the public meeting agendas of 1970.
In January, even as the newly built apartments at Cameo Gardens were
starting to be occupied, building inspector Calvin Nelson ,”urged the
Common Council to come up with a cooperative housing program to
alleviate ‘the severe
housing shortage in this City’”. City officials also mentioned the,
“definite need for elderly housing”.
In March, 1970, the Windham Planning Commission heard a proposal
from the interfaith Willimantic Cooperative Housing Corp. for a 60-unit
housing development on Ash Street for persons of moderate income. There
were to be 20 two-bedroom units, 32 three-bedroom units and 8
four-bedroom units. The Commission was very open to these plans since,
as Commission chairman Raymond Bruce said, “ (T)he housing situation is
so critical we are all anxious to see what could be done”. The plan was
approved in October, 1970 but immediately faced opposition from local
residents. Also in March, Raybo Inc. submitted a plan to build 60
two-bedroom apartments on a 26 acre tract on Plains Road in Windham. In
August, 1970, despite some opposition from those who felt the land could
be more profitably sold to a developer, voters approved the sale of 3.78
acres of town land to the Willimantic Housing Authority for an elderly
housing project. There were hopes that ground would be broken by Spring,
1971 and that the finished apartment building would be nine stories
high. However, problems with zoning, finances and HUD regulations led
first to the building being modified to seven stories. The plans finally
met all regulations and were approved in May, 1972. However more
problems such as weather, equipment delays, and most spectacularly, the
collapse of the sixth floor one-ton balcony caused more delays. On July
19, 1974, residents finally started moving in. In September, 1970, Plans
for a 150-unit complex to be known as “Windham Heights” were brought to
the Windham Planning Commission. The proposed complex would include nine
buildings housing 150 apartments on an approximately ten acre site. The
plans were approved at a meeting one month later. What still had to be
worked out was the means to supply the complex with water and sewer
service. Despite some contentious meetings, a contract for water was
approved and the $2.5 million dollar complex was dedicated in July,
1971.Second District Congressman Robert Steele said the complex
represented, “an effort of federal, state and local governments to
provide high quality housing…”.
During that same August meeting in which Windham
Heights was approved, the Planning Commission was presented with
preliminary maps and drawings for a 100-home subdivision between
Mountain and South Streets. All of the houses, the Commission was
told, would be single-family residences of several different styles
and would be sold for between $22,000 and $24,000 under an FHA
program. Each house was to have three to four bedrooms and a
basement area. Advertising for the new development began in March,
1971 with ads that read, “You can own a new home at South Ridge in
Willimantic for as little as $200 down. Do you qualify”. Several
other multi-unit housing plans were submitted to the Planning
Commission during the year including plans for elderly housing on
Valley and Jackson Streets and a complex off Holbrook Avenue. Some
went on to completion years later and some never made it to
fruition. But 1970 seemed to revolve around the issue of housing. It
should also be noted that 1970 was the year when the Redevelopment
Plan” started to kick in. But that’s another story.
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