WILLIMANTIC - Although area residents may be divided over plans to develop supportive and low-income housing on Main Street, everyone seems to agree downtown Willimantic needs direction.

Representatives from Common Ground, a Manhattan-based nonprofit currently managing the Seth Chauncey Hotel (formerly the Hotel Hooker), wants to facilitate a discussion on what that direction should be.

"We're not disillusioned, we're part of the solution and you are too," said Catherine San Fan Andre, replication director for Common Ground.

Common Ground organized a community meeting Wednesday night, asking attendees to break into groups.

Gathered around several long tables, the groups evaluated the assets and obstacles in the downtown Willimantic, as well as formulated questions about the housing project.

The hotel came under Common Ground's management May 4 after the six-month court-appointed receivership ended at the 72-room building.

The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority purchased the hotel and the former TMCA across the street from Robert Riquier.

Common Ground has plans to develop at least 100 units of supportive and low-income housing at the hotel and the adjacent Nathan Hale building, which is currently state surplus property. There have been no plans announced for the Y.

Doug Murphy, a longtime Willimantic resident and marketing director for the Windham Region Chamber of Commerce, acted as a moderator and set the tone for the meeting.

Murphy said "the people have been left out" of the discussion up until now, like many times in the past.

He pointed to projects like the Windham Middle School construction and the Windham Mills renovation as examples of a lack of communication between officials and residents.

"Every time something goes wrong, we hear about it after," he said. "Every time some project fails, it's our fault."

He encouraged the attendees to listen and be heard. "This is your chance tonight," he added.

Many of the questions presented echoed concerns similar to those brought up at previous meetings, such as parking, taxes, and the impact on the community.

Rosanne Haggerty, president and founder of Common Ground, answered all the questions.

As far as taxes, she said current plans call for paying $500 per unit, which would add up to $50,000 in tax revenue to the town per year.

Last year, Riquier paid $17,000 on the hotel, and the state provided approximately $1,000 to the town for the Nathan Hale.

In terms of parking, Common Ground's plans fall for 14 additional parking spaces, she said, which is consistent with the amount of parking at other supportive housing sites in the state.

However, she recognized limited parking as a problem downtown. "We sure don't want to compound the problem," she added.

One common concern was how management will deal with problem tenants.

"We cannot tolerate any illegal activity in the building," she said.

"We are very selective," she commented later. "How good a building you have has something to do with how good an intake process you have."

Another common question was whether CHFA is "locked in" to working with Common Ground.

Bruce Perry, vice president of multi-family housing and asset management for CHFA, said nothing was carved in stone, but that Common Ground presented a viable and positive solution to the problem of illegal activity at the hotel.

"If we feel badly about how things are going, we can give each other notice," he said. "Are we locked in? No. Are we committed to each other? Absolutely."

Several elected officials said they were unhappy with the format of the meeting.

"There are certainly questions that need to get answered, but we're not going to get those answers tonight," Selectman Tom White said.

He is still requesting representatives from Common Ground and CHFA come before the board of selectmen to answer questions about how the project came about and why they were not adequately informed.

Keely Santa Lucia, a finance board member, was similarly disappointed in the meeting. "These forums should be held by the town of Windham," she said.

However, some elected officials did think the meeting was productive, including First Selectman Michael Paulhus.

"What some of them are saying is that they want to be heard and be part of the positive change in this community," Paulhus said "I think we can embark on that."

Haggerty said more meetings will be planned to address some of the ideas brought up during the discussion, including involving the local artistic community, brainstorming ideas for bringing local businesses downtown, and recapturing the waterfront.

"If we can be facilitators for this discussion, we're thrilled to do it," she said.

ABOVE: It was a packed house at the First Congregational Church in Willimantic for Wednesday night's community meeting on Common Ground's plans. LEFT: Rosanne Haggerty, the president and founder of Common Ground, speaks to the gathered audience during the meeting. RIGHT: Maureen Mulroy writes down her group's questions.

Jared Ramsdell Photos