Revitalizing Main Streets
Transforming Communities
At GRAVA Properties we own, develop, and manage commercial and residential real estate in the Greater Hartford Area.
What We DoCompany Overview
GRAVA Properties specializes in the acquisition, development, and management of mixed-use, commercial, and multi-family properties. With a core focus on urban infill, GRAVA is committed to revitalizing our historic town centers by creating vibrant and sustainable living and business spaces. Our expertise delivers innovative solutions to complex real estate transactions that redefine the standards of quality downtown development.
Message from Leadership
“At GRAVA, every opportunity starts with engaging local communities to deliver on our common vision: to develop sustainable, walkable, and contextual properties that enhance the character of their environment. We believe that a return to traditional development patterns is essential to support a vibrant, diverse and inclusive community.”
Our Core Principles
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We prioritize people-centric design that respects the unique character of each community.
By incorporating input from residents, businesses, and local stakeholders, we ensure that our developments enhance the social fabric of the neighborhoods they inhabit.
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Recognizing the importance of accessible and efficient transportation, we focus on transit-oriented development to create well-connected urban spaces.
By strategically locating our projects near transit hubs, we aim to reduce dependence on private vehicles and promote a walkable, bike-friendly lifestyle.
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We embrace sustainable development practices to minimize our ecological footprint.
From green building technologies to energy-efficient infrastructure, our projects are designed to contribute positively to the environment and create a more resilient urban landscape.
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We respect the historical and cultural heritage of the areas in which we operate. Through contextual urban infill and adaptive reuse and preservation of existing structures, we strive to integrate the past into the present, ensuring that our developments contribute to the continuity and identity of the community.
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Inspired by the insights of Jane Jacobs and Charles Montgomery, We prioritize the relationship between urban design and human happiness.
Our community-centric developments are designed to promote social interaction, health, and a sense of joy, fostering a positive living experience for all.
Founders SquareWindsor, Connecticut
106 Residential Units
11,500 Sq ft of Retail Space.
Abundant Public and Private Amenities
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Founders Square is the ongoing revitalization of Historic Windsor Center’s most central site. Once the area’s most visible block of handsome historic buildings, the site was leveled during the 1950s and 1960s to make way for an auto-centric strip mall typical of post-war American suburbia.
The development consists of three building volumes that preserve some existing retail structures, replace the historic street wall seen from Broad Street, and repopulate a site that had previously fallen into decline.
The site is 500 feet from the Town’s Amtrak/Hartford Line Train Station, a short walk from the Farmington River boat launch and several public parks, and surrounded by a plethora of urban amenities.
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The first phases of Founders Square are comprised of studio and one bedroom apartments with walk-in closets, high-end finishes and design, and in-unit washer/dryer units. With varying layouts to choose from, there are units with dens, balconies and large outdoor patios to choose from.
Employing the latest in green building technology, there are no fossil fuels burned inside or outside the units, creating superior indoor air quality and lower utility bills for tenants.
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Founders Square boasts a rich amenity package for tenants that augments the extensive offerings of the Town Center itself. These include a large lounge and co-working spaces, forward thinking gym, dog park and grooming center, green spaces and grills, and EV-charging and bicycle infrastructure.
The site also boast large retail-adjacent patio areas where tenants can mix with the public while enjoying the project’s retail offerings, just a step from their front door.
News
$30M Windsor Center mixed-use TOD project launched
- December 14, 2023
Greg Vaca, at right, speaks at the launch of his Grava Properties' Founders Plaza project in Windsor, along with Gov. Ned Lamont, and Matthew Pugliese of the DECD.
New retail, 106 apartments on the way at outdated CT strip mall; Protestors disrupt groundbreaking
- Dec 13, 2023
Gregory Vaca, president of Grava Properties, shows Gov. Ned Lamont his renderings before the groundbreaking for the Founders Square apartment complex in Windsor on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.
Gov. Ned Lamont says housing and retail project will bring 'Windsor back to the place it used to be'
- Dec. 14, 2023
Grava Properties, founded by Windsor resident Greg Vaca, will be spearheading the project, which will replace the existing Windsor Center Plaza. Vaca, alongside state and local leaders, broke ground on the development Wednesday.
Founders Square in Windsor breaks ground
- December 13, 2023
The new Founders Square development will offer a mix of apartment and retail spaces.
After growing up in town, developer helps lead Windsor downtown revitalization
- July 31, 2022
WINDSOR — Greg Vaca grew up in town and is now spearheading a new downtown development. He attended the high school down the road, fell in love with the center of town and he came back after college hoping to rejuvenate the area that was once bustling.
Windsor Center Plaza mixed-use development expanded with additional building, more apartments
- March 23, 2023
The parcel, which was originally 2.65 acres, is now 3.2 acres at the junction of routes 75, 159 and 305, “a highly visible and central location within the Center Design Development District adjacent to major mass transit nodes,” the application reads.
Developer proposes 100 apartments to replace strip shopping center on Windsor’s town Green
- February 9, 2022
A developer is proposing a 100-unit apartment complex with first-floor retail on the site of the Windsor Center Plaza in the heart of Windsor’s village center.
Downtown Windsor revitalization project secures $3 million for 'road diet'
- January 6, 2023
The First Town Downtown group spearheading these efforts hosted U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1st District, in March for a tour of downtown, which Vaca believes led to the $3 million appropriation.
