Norwich Main Street apartment complex receives approval for 13 units

Norwich ― After months of delays in completing work, the 42-unit Water Street Lofts apartment complex received city approval to open 13 apartments this week, with several more expected to be approved shortly.The $8.8 million renovation of two historic buildings at 77-91 Main St. is being touted as one of several major development projects on Main Street. But delays by developer Norwich Luxury Apartments LLC in completing a checklist of requirements by city building and fire inspectors delayed the city's issuance of certificates of occupancy, even as the developer was accepting deposits from would-be tenants.Norwich Building Official Dan Coley said the city approved temporary certificates of occupancy for 13 apartments in the complex on Wednesday. Another four could be approved soon, as they only need reprogramming of malfunctioning smoke alarms.Some of the fifth-story units have ceiling water damage from a roof leak. Coley said the developer will schedule repairs and there will another inspection after the work is done."As of now, 13 are approved, and there's a whole bunch that are really close to getting done," Coley said Thursday.The project ran into problems with the city after one tenant moved into an apartment before it was approved for occupancy. That unit was posted with a condemned notice to warn the would-be tenant that it was not approved.Inspectors had provided the project developers with checklists of health and safety items that needed to be completed but found repeatedly in return inspections that items had not been completed, delaying issuance of certificates of occupancy.Coley said Thursday that all required work in public areas ― lobby, stairwells, exit doors ― has been completed. The elevator is nearly completed. A temporary trash disposal system also needed to be completed before certificates of occupancy could be approved.The Water Street Lofts is one of several downtown revitalization projects heralded by city leaders and was partly funded through the city's federal American Rescue Plan Act grant. The project received a $400,000 loan and is slated to receive a $400,000 grant from the Norwich Community Development Corp. once the project is completed, said Kevin Brown, president of the Norwich Community Development Corp., which oversees the Norwich Revitalization Program.Abraham Gordon, project manager for Norwich Luxury Apartments said Thursday the approvals will allow Water Street Lofts to market the available units for renters. The firm has contracted with Norwich real estate agent Molly Bruno of Utopia Real Estate to market the units.Gordon said some units could be occupied within the next week.c.bessette@theday.com