Simsbury, CT Real Estate & Living Guide

Summary

Fred walks through the application for The Ridge at Talcott Mountain South at the former Hartford insurance campus, 200 Hopmeadow Street: 689 rental homes (616 apartments, 54 duplex units, 19 single-family homes), 207 of them income-restricted for at least 40 years under Connecticut's 8-30g statute. He covers the 2024 denial of an earlier 432-unit plan, the July 2026 wetlands denial and next steps at the Zoning Commission, without predicting what it means for prices. Source reporting: Hartford Business Journal. Update: the Zoning Commission voted Oct 19 to hold a public hearing on Monday, Dec. 14, 2026, at 7 p.m. at the Simsbury Public Library (per the meeting video; written minutes pending). No decision has been made on the project. For any changes, check the Town of Simsbury Zoning Commission agenda.

Full transcript

689 new homes are proposed in Simsbury. If you've seen the headlines, you probably have questions. So, let's slow down and look at what's actually in the application. I'm Fred Moore with Keller Williams Legacy Partners right here in Simsbury. In the next few minutes, I'll walk you through what's proposed, what hasn't been decided yet, and what it can mean for you if you're buying or selling in the Farmington Valley. Everything I'm sharing comes from public reporting and town records, and I'll link the sources below.

All right, let's start with the site. The site we're talking about is a former Hartford Insurance campus at 200 Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury. For years, a roughly 600,000 square foot office complex stood there. It was demolished in 2016. The north part of the old campus has already been redeveloped. That's where the Ridge at Talcott Mountain Apartments are today. And that was from the same developer. This new proposal, the South phase, would sit right beside it.

Now, for the proposal itself. It's called the Ridge at Talcott Mountain South. The developer is the Silverman Group, and the application was filed by the property owner, SL Simsbury LLC. The plan is for 689 homes, and every one of them would be a rental. All right, here's how that would break down. 616 apartments in three and four-story buildings. 54 units in duplexes and 19 single-family homes. An October 5th project narrative also called for a 5,500 square foot clubhouse and outdoor amenities. That housing mix is the same as the plan reported back in May.

Next, the affordability piece, which is probably the biggest part of the application. The developer is seeking a site plan approved under Section 8-30g, and that's Connecticut's affordable housing statute. Under the newly submitted affordability plan, 207 of the 689 homes would be income-restricted. That's about 30%. Those restrictions would last at least 40 years for each unit starting when the unit's certificate of occupancy is issued. Here's how the 30% splits. 15% of the units would be for households earning no more than 80% of the area or state median income, whichever is lower. Another 15% would be for households earning no more than 60% of that benchmark. Rent limits would be based on those income benchmarks adjusted for household size with allowances for utilities that tenants pay. According to the plan, the income restricted homes would be built and offered for rent as construction moved forward. And their construction quality would be comparable to market rate apartments. The owner or affiliated administrator would verify who's eligible and send annual compliance reports to the town.

Now, some history because the site has a long one. In 2024, Simsbury's Zoning Commission denied an earlier proposal for 432 units. That plan had already been reduced from an earlier 580 unit version. The developer sued over that denial. Earlier this year, a Superior Court judge dismissed the case. So, what we're looking at now is a new application. This past July, the town's wetland agency already voted 7-0 to deny the wetlands permit for the same 689 unit plan citing vernal pools and runoff concerns. So, there's still more steps ahead.

But, what's happening next? Well, the application is on the Zoning Commission's agenda for October 19th for receipt and scheduling. That's an early procedural step. Nothing has been approved yet. But, if you want to follow along, the town's agenda and meeting materials are the best place to stay current.

Now, let's talk about what this could mean for you. I'm going to be straight with you. I'm not going to predict what this does to home prices at all. Nobody can tell you with certainty, especially while it's a proposal. But here's what I can tell you. If you're a renter, a plan like this could add more rental opportunities in Simsbury over time. If you're a buyer, it wouldn't add homes for sale, but it's still worth watching. Apartments, duplexes, and single-family rentals with a portion set aside for income-qualified households. If you're a seller, it's helpful to know what's proposed in town as you think about your own plans. And the best guide to what your home is worth is still what comparable homes are actually selling for right now. And for everyone, proposals like this go through a public process and details can change along the way.

Okay, so let's recap. We have 689 rental homes proposed at the former Hartford Insurance campus on Hopmeadow Street. 616 apartments, 54 duplex units, and 19 single-family homes. 207 of them, or roughly 30%, are income-restricted for at least 40 years under 8-30g. A prior 432-unit plan was denied in 2024 and the lawsuit was dismissed. And the next step is the zoning commission on October 19th.

If you want to see what homes are actually selling for in Simsbury right now, send me a message with the word Simsbury. I'll send you the town comps. No pressure, just good local information. I'm Fred Moore. Follow for more Farmington Valley market updates. And if this was helpful, subscribe so you don't miss the next one. Thanks everyone for watching and I'll see you next time.