Now the city council is turning an old nondescript, underutilized, out of the way former car park on Drewry Lane. This new home development will help address the critical primary need for affordable housing in their community. Last year, the council realized that the underused car park embarrassed them and closed it. They understood that the huge demand for council accommodation meant increasing the supply of new housing took precedence.
Construction started on 12 new homes, which will consist of six two-bedroom houses and six one-bedroom apartments. That third development is slated for completion by sometime early next year. The Drewry Lane site is located very close to the Friar Gate Goods Yard. It serves a key function in the city’s effort to make more housing accessible.
A private developer is constructing nearly 300 homes at the nearby Friar Gate Goods Yard, highlighting the ongoing efforts to meet housing demands. The Drewry Lane project is just one part of a much larger effort. This program goal is to build almost 60 like-homes all over the city.
On Wednesday, the Hartford city council was thrilled to announce that the first location of the creative housing program is officially done. Tenants are happily, successfully moving in!
New data released earlier this year shows that nearly 8,000 people are waiting for a council house in the city. Yet the need for housing assistance is dire and only increasing. This alarming statistic highlights the dire need for affordable housing solutions, making projects like the Drewry Lane development absolutely essential.
A spokesperson for the city council commented on the progress of the project:
“Work is progressing well on the new affordable homes on the site of the former Drewry Lane car park, which will provide six two-bedroom houses and six one-bedroom apartments. This work is one of four schemes we are delivering with Mercer Building Solutions. The first site is now complete, and tenants moved in. Two more sites are due to complete in late 2025, with Drewry Lane rounding off the programme in spring 2026.”
Collectively, the Drewry Lane development is one of four such schemes currently underway in partnership with Mercer Building Solutions. The next two sites are scheduled to be finished by late 2025. Drewry Lane expects to complete this last affordable housing project by the spring of 2026.
