Some Locals Uneasy About Incoming Milford Apartments

An apartment complex set to start leasing in late summer is now drawing some criticism from locals, some of whom say it “changes the character” of the Milford Historic District that it abuts.

“It just doesn’t fit with the neighborhood,” Bob, an employee at Ships Store, adjacent to the Milford harbor, said of the ongoing development across the road at 34 High St. “Everybody comes in the store can’t believe it.”

The marine supply store employee said complaints relate to the size of the complex, which he said is three times the height of an old office building that used to be on the property.

“It’s certainly quite different than what it was before,” said city historian Richard Platt.

“This towers over the historic district," he said. "It changes the character of the neighborhood.”

Platt said he wasn’t aware of the “extent” of the new development but at the same time he didn’t attend any public hearings on the project.

“It just doesn’t seem to be terribly appropriate to me,” the city historian said.

City planner David Sulkis said there was no public opposition against the project as it went through the city’s typical approval process. The development, Metro View, will have 28 one-bedroom apartments, he said.

According to the developer’s website, the apartments will begin to be available later this summer.

“There’s a big difference from being in the historic district and not and that property is not in the historic district,” said Sulkis, adding that, before the apartments, “that property had been a very non-historic office building.”

A request for comment Wednesday to the developers was not immediately returned.