Discover Danbury and Candlewood Lake

The former Crowne Plaza hotel on Danbury’s west side is set to begin a new chapter as an affordable housing complex after receiving approval from the city’s Planning Commission. Developer Dan Bertram’s “Bright Ravens Innovation Studios” project will transform the defunct hotel into 200 micro-apartments with integrated makerspace, bringing much-needed housing options to the area. The commission’s decision comes after a thorough two-year review process that Planning Commission member Perry Salvagne described as “a vetting process that few go through in this city.”

The project represents a significant addition to Danbury’s affordable housing inventory, a need that commission chair Arnie Finaldi noted is “very well documented” in the city. The transformation will convert the former 240-room hotel at Interstate 84’s Exit 2 into a lively living and working community. With final approval expected later this month, Bertram’s “Live, Work, Create, Colab” vision is poised to become reality, offering a creative solution to housing challenges while repurposing an underutilized property on Danbury’s rapidly developing west side.

Bright Ravens Innovation Studios will feature studio apartments priced at $1,250 per month and one-bedroom units at $1,775 per month, positioning the development as an accessible option in Danbury’s housing market. The project goes beyond basic housing by incorporating impressive amenities including a 120-seat restaurant, a 150-seat cocktail lounge, and 20,000 square feet of makerspace designed to support artists and startup businesses. This approach aims to create a vibrant community where residents can live, work, and collaborate in a single location.

During the approval process, several residents and City Council members, including Paul Rotello and Ben Chianese, expressed concerns about potential traffic impacts on Mill Plain Road and surrounding areas. Local resident Ellen Mari questioned traffic consultant findings that suggested minimal impact despite adding 200 apartments and commercial spaces. In response, Bertram acknowledged existing traffic challenges in the Mill Plain corridor but maintained that “with the rights this property has to interact with it, we are not changing it in any adverse way.” The project joins numerous other developments in Danbury’s expanding west side, including a $39 million rehabilitation hospital, a $96 million cancer center, and hundreds of new residential units either approved or under construction.