Connecticut State Council on Environmental Quality

1. Record of Decision for Mansfield Apartments Redevelopment at the University of Connecticut

Address of Possible Project Location: 1 South Eagleville Road, Storrs Mansfield, CT 06268

Municipality where proposed action is to be located: Mansfield

Project Description: After several years of planning as part of broader reviews of existing conditions and future needs of student housing at the University of Connecticut (UConn), a new modern apartment-style residential community has been envisioned on the current site of its Mansfield Apartments complex. UConn assessed ways in which the 16-acre site could be redeveloped to provide more contemporary and updated student apartments and determine possibilities that could be built on in place of the 1940s-era complex, which has reached the end of its useful life. UConn intends to continue with the implementation of its Mansfield Apartments Redevelopment project, which consists of the following elements:

  • Site Removals - Demolition of the existing buildings, roadway, walks, and utilities in the Mansfield Apartment complex.
  • New Construction - New student residential complex consisting of approximately 450,000 gross square feet (SF) and approximately 900 beds among 3 residential buildings.
  • Site Amenities - Additional site improvements, loop road reconstruction in its current location, and surface parking of approximately 375 spaces with a new parking deck in the western portion of the site.
  • Long-term Improvements - Utility and infrastructure improvements including energy generation and stormwater management. The proposed project will also seek Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold and Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) certification.

Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA) Determination: On October 4, 2022, UConn published a Notice of Availability of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) in accordance with Section 22a-1d of CEPA, in the Environmental Monitor and held a public hearing on November 7, 2022 at Konover Auditorium at The Dodd Center for Human Rights with live streaming for remote viewers online.

Comments were received from the general public, the Town of Mansfield, and the CT Forest & Park Association.  UConn prepared responses to the substantive issues raised in the comments on the EIE and on supplemental materials or amendments. Comments, responses and UConn's conclusion is documented in the Record of Decision for the proposed action.

 

Agency contact:

Name:  John Robitaille, Senior Project Manager

Agency:  University Planning, Design & Construction

Address:  3 Discovery Drive, U-6038, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-6038

Phone:  (860) 486-5930

E-Mail:  john.robitaille@uconn.edu

Inquiries and requests to view and or copy documents, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, must be submitted at https://publicrecords.uconn.edu/make-a-request.

What happens next: UConn has submitted the Record of Decision to the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) for review. OPM's determination regarding the Record of Decision will appear in a future edition of the Environmental Monitor.