New Haven Independent

Posted by: delegate | September 14, 2006 4:42 PM

Where are all these rich people going to shop for food and staples or do they eat out all the time? Downtown residents who aren't so financially fortunate need a place shop for groceries without having to have a car.

Posted by: Esbe | September 14, 2006 8:49 PM

This is a great plan -- downtown such buildings are much better built out to the sidewalk. With Temple street doing so well, College St. needs a lift.

As to where these folks will buy food, well, Peapod delivers and there are a good number of small markets right downtown (with more opening) and there are Farmers' markets in season and Shaw's is a walkable distance away. It is a very good setup for Condo owners.

However, it would be even better for Condo sales if the developer could attract, say, Whole Foods to his first-floor space.

(Of course, less fortunate downtown folks are better off with Shaw's and Peapod than with "Whole Paycheck".)

Posted by: Ned | September 15, 2006 8:11 AM

Why does "rich", in New Haven, always have to sound like a four-letter word? Poverty has nothing to recommend it. Also, have you ever noticed that, in the U.S.A. how many poor people are humungously fat? It would be nice to see the city expedite Mr. Landino's developement, rather than giving him the usual government shakedown and delays. Replacing the surface parking lots and TK's eyesore, will tie in 300 George St. nicely with the more developed blocks of College St. If a variance is needed to avoid setbacks that everyone apparently believes are poor urban design, why not just get rid of the setback requirement in the downtown core?

Posted by: KOB | September 15, 2006 8:34 AM

I really do wish that developers and the City would look at alternative AFFORDABLE housing options downtown.

The younger (under 60-70) crowd can't afford $400k - but can certainly contribute to the vitality if the neighborhood with properties in their price range.

Mixed use is the answer - building inclusive neighborhoods.

Posted by: Miss | September 15, 2006 8:35 AM

I think a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's would work well. Bringing good, healthy food to the downtown area, especially during the seasons when farmers' markets aren't able to be up and running would be great. Peapod works well (trust me, I swear by it) but one must have access to a computer to place an order. I assume most people do; but if this will be part of plan for the whole city, you've got to consider the whole city, not just the "rich."

Posted by: preston | September 15, 2006 2:03 PM

A thriving mixed-use and mixed income neighborhood onced existed in this part of town, along George Street. Residences for rich and poor, small businesses, and churches all were in the mix. (My grandfather was pastor of the methodist church in this block). But most of this neighborhood was destroyed in the urban renewal excesses of the 1960s and little was built to replace the old neighborhood.

This new development will bring lots of affluent residents to a waste land of surface parking lots. It will also bring some new retail stores and help weave together an urban fabric that was destroyed years ago.

The drawing makes the building look very tall ...and out of scale with some of the smaller buildings on Crown Street and College Street. A conversation with Mr. Pelli would be very appropriate.

Coupled with the new towers proposed on the Shartenberg site in downtown, are we in for another phase of over building in the condo market downtown such as happened in the late 1980s? I hope not.

Posted by: charlie | September 15, 2006 2:59 PM

Unlike a place like Manhattan, which has new development and housing reserved exclusively for the ultra-rich, downtown New Haven is already sufficiently mixed-use and mixed-income. There is no need to require mixed-use on every single project, especially those that are not subsidized with public funds. That would just limit development. Those with limited funds will find affordable housing, typically of older construction, in neighborhoods in or adjacent to downtown. In fact, having a limited amount of such housing will encourage landlords to renovate and add new units. Subsidizing everything just leads to neglect and decay.

Posted by: B | September 15, 2006 3:22 PM

College and George, Not College and Crown.