Mary Shepard Place
Notice of Scoping for Mary Shepard Place (Phases 1 and 2)
Address of possible action location: 88 Wooster Street, Hartford, CT 06120
Municipality where the action might be located: Hartford
Description: The Mary Shepard Place (“MSP”) Redevelopment is a co-developer partnership between an affiliate of Boston-based Trinity Financial (“Trinity”) and the Housing Authority of the City of Hartford (“HACH”). This two-phase project, including an 81-unit first phase and a 78-unit second phase, involves the demolition of all existing site improvements, including the development’s 127 residential units, and the construction of 159 new apartments. The program for MSP includes a mix of 18 one-bedroom units, 89 two-bedroom units and 52 three-bedroom units in three-story townhome-style buildings, consistent with the residential buildings in the surrounding area. The buildings will be wood-framed structures supported on concrete spread footing foundations and slab on grade. The first phase project includes the construction of a roughly 3,500 square-foot, stand-alone community building that will serve all residents of MSP. There are approximately 20 homeownership units planned as a separate and distinct third phase. The MSP Redevelopment seeks to improve the vehicular and pedestrian circulation within the site and to reconnect the property to the surrounding street network. Streetscapes will be created with parallel parking, a furnishings zone, public sidewalks, and front yards leading to the building entrances.
The MSP site is located at 88 Wooster Street in Hartford and is bounded by Pavilion Street to the north, Wooster Street to the west, Canton Street to the south, and Windsor Street to the east (the “Site”). The Site is a 12-acre rectangular-shaped parcel that has been owned and occupied by HACH since approximately 1942. Structures located on the Site include nine, three-story apartment buildings consisting of 127 residential living units, one single-story, multi-purpose community center building that includes office space, community space, facility/maintenance space, and parking. The MSP Project is located within close walking distance of several CT transit routes, including bus lines 40 and 42, and approximately two blocks from lines 32 and 36. The Mary Shepard Place project involves the demolition of all existing site improvements, including 127 residential units across nine buildings, and the new construction of 159 newly constructed units in 23 buildings, a community building, multiple parking areas, new streets, and shared community green spaces with walking paths.
A former 560-gallon gasoline UST was located in the northwestern portion of the site and concentrations of petroleum indicates there could be a hotspot in this area. Soil excavated from this area will be segregated and sampled for characterization and disposal. Urban fill material was found on the site that may contain elevated levels of petroleum, metals and hydrocarbons. Existing underground tunnels, which contain asbestos, must be abated and demolished. Asbestos has also been detected within the existing residential buildings and must be abated prior to demolition. A Soil Management Plan has also been prepared, and will guide the project’s site remediation work.
Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on: 7th May, 2026.
Any person may ask the sponsoring agency to hold a public scoping meeting by sending such a request to the address below. If a public scoping meeting is requested by 25 or more individuals, or by an association that represents 25 or more members, the sponsoring agency shall schedule a public scoping meeting. Such requests must be made by April 17th, 2026.
Written comments and/or requests for a public scoping meeting should be sent to:
Name: Mithila Chakraborty, Ph.D.
Agency: Connecticut Dept. of Housing
Address: 505 Hudson Street, Hartford, CT 06106-7106
E-Mail: mithila.chakraborty@ct.gov
Inquiries and requests to view and or copy documents, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, must be submitted to the sponsoring state agency:
Name: Mithila Chakraborty, Ph.D.
Agency: Connecticut Dept. of Housing
Address: 505 Hudson Street, Hartford, CT 06106-7106
E-Mail: mithila.chakraborty@ct.gov
What Happens Next:
The Department of Housing, CT will determine whether to proceed with the preparation of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) or that the action does not require the preparation of an EIE under the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA). A Post-Scoping Notice of its decision will appear in a future edition of the Environmental Monitor.