Construction On Simsbury Center Apartments Begins

SIMSBURY, CT — Construction on the Simsbury Center Apartments has begun, and state and local officials recently marked the start of the project with a groundbreaking ceremony.

Officials are converting the former Iron Horse Inn (969 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury) into a housing complex with 25 studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments, said Tom Hazel, Simsbury's assistant town planner.

The apartments will have "a myriad of affordability," Hazel told Patch, and last month the Hartford Courant reported that rent will range from around $1,400 to $2,500.

Work has begun on the inn's interior, Hazel said, and he said officials are currently estimating it will be completed in late summer or early fall.

Read more: Simsbury Motel Closes; Luxury Apartments Planned

Hazel said the project stems from a statewide initiative to improve walkability, affordability and variety in its housing.

And state officials are excited about the project — including Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony last Thursday.

"New developments, like the Simsbury Center Apartments, will bring the youthful energy of young professionals and families to CT," Bysiewicz tweeted on Feb. 3. "I can't wait to see this project come to fruition!"

Freedom Horse LLC bought the inn in December 2021 after it operated as a motel for 50 years, according to the Courant.

And developer Luke Florian told the Courant that the building's amenities — among them stainless steel appliances and in-unit washers and dryers — will be a draw.

"Our residents are going to be people who've gone to college and come back," Florian said. "They're working in or around the professional office buildings or medical buildings, they want to live in Simsbury but they can't afford the rents or a $400,000 single-family house."