Wesleyan outlines conceptual 200–225-bed housing plan and asks Middletown to consider rezoning; board requests site visit

Wesleyan University representatives presented a conceptual plan to the Middletown Design Review Board for reinvestment in student housing on the block bounded by Church, High and Williams streets, and said the university intends to pursue a zone map amendment to enable the project.

Rich Corell, an attorney representing Wesleyan, introduced the team and said the discussion was an early opportunity for feedback rather than a pending application. Jeff Murphy, campus planner and project manager, told the board the university’s internal review has identified 'pinch points' in the residential-life portfolio and a program brief that would site roughly 200–225 beds targeted to sophomores and juniors. Murphy said the trustees have authorized the university to continue work and that, if everything aligns, the university’s early schedule would aim to start construction in 2029 with occupancy in 2031.

Sasaki Architects (represented by Vinicius Gorgachi and Carla Cheruzzi) described test fits and massing studies showing options to remove the low-rise complex, renovate or replace an existing high-rise, and create a new central green and more accessible pedestrian connections from the campus core to Main Street. The architects emphasized 'complete streets' improvements on Williams Street (wider sidewalks, additional street trees and benches) and proposed modulating building scale through setbacks and green 'fingers' to knit new housing into the existing urban fabric.

Murphy said the university expects to seek a zone map amendment at Planning & Zoning in July to rezone Wesleyan-owned parcels to an institutional development zone and to convert 44 Hamlin to an MX zoning designation to expand arts and program uses. He noted the project currently lacks committed funding and would rely on a combination of fundraising, financing and potential state brownfield remediation funds to address identified contamination near the university power plant and the former preschool site at 44 Hamlin.

Board members asked clarifying questions about what rezoning would permit and the Planning & Zoning process. The university team said rezoning to institutional development would allow more than one- and two-family uses and that the Planning & Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on any map amendment; Murphy said the team is already engaging a licensed environmental professional (Tine Bond) to assess contamination and to explore state funding for cleanup.

Members commended the early engagement but raised concerns about scale, character and the potential for the conceptual project to change during detailed design and financing. The board did not take formal action on zoning; members agreed to schedule a field visit up William Street to review the corridor’s character and asked staff to coordinate whether the board should provide informal comments to Planning & Zoning before the first public hearing.

Next steps: Wesleyan plans a July Planning & Zoning filing for a zone map amendment; the design review board will coordinate a field trip and determine whether to offer a formal or informal recommendation to Planning & Zoning during the public process.