This panel highlighted Windsor’s long-term commitment to Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) centered around the Hartford Line CTRail station and the impact of this work on housing, walkability, local business, and community vibrancy.
Windsor is a stop on the Hartford Rail Line, a growing commuter rail with 817,000 riders in 2024 — up 12% from pre-pandemic levels. TOD in Windsor began with a redevelopment of a mill building into 50 condos—on a brownfield site requiring environmental remediation and Amtrak land acquisition. The town established a redevelopment agency, leveraged TIF (Tax Increment Financing) and issued general obligation bonds to make projects viable.
Other TOD projects in Windsor include:
- 130-unit apartment complex near the rail station with strong ridership and grocery store impacts.
- New mixed-use development on a former strip mall (120 units + ground floor retail).
- Upcoming 77-unit project on a former auto dealership lot.
Town support for these projects included land assembly, zoning reform, tax abatements, and millions in grant funding (e.g., DECD Community Challenge Grant).
Developer, Greg Vaca, grew up in Windsor and wanted to invest in his hometown. He considers the town to be relatively development-friendly, calling Windsor “one of the easiest towns in the state” for TOD.
Vaca’s other tips for TOD success include:
- Strategic Site Selection: Parcels closest to rail, emphasize the correlation between proximity and property value.
- TOD success relies on willing sellers — no matter how good the zoning or incentives, if the land isn’t for sale, the project won’t happen.
- Density = Value: Urban infill close to transit is the most efficient development form.
- Parking Trade-offs: “All TOD is on parking lots.” Not true! Communities must be willing to prioritize buildings over cars.
- Retail Viability: Retail can thrive if designed correctly—smaller storefronts, pedestrian-friendly design, and lower rents attract local businesses. In the long term, Vaca believes retail will eventually outperform housing in value per square foot.
Rail in Windsor is used by commuters, job seekers, and families. Many residents are moving to Windsor specifically for car-free living. Younger generations are choosing not to drive—making walkability and transit more vital than ever. Civic groups like First Town Downtown and Windsor Advocates for Transit play an active role in shaping TOD-friendly policies. To overcome skepticism, Greg Vaca has hosted public outreach events and uses historic photos to show that TOD is about restoring the charm people remember—not disrupting it.
TOD in Windsor has succeeded due to strong leadership, public-private partnerships, flexible financing tools, and community alignment. The Windsor model demonstrates how transit, history, housing, and walkability can intersect to revitalize a small-town downtown.
Retail Activation: With new housing added, the next step is to fill ground-floor commercial spaces and promote a vibrant downtown economy.
Smaller-Scale Development: Beyond large projects, there’s a need for policies and tools that make 3–6 unit mixed-use buildings feasible for smaller developers on scattered sites.
