New Haven Independent

Posted by: Ned | December 21, 2006 1:49 PM

Has anyone looked into the economics of putting an office tower on top of the parking garage? Would there be a market for office space attached to a major transit hub? The station is beautiful, but when you step outside - one is greeted by an ugly, dangerous housing project, parking garages, and the police station, the STD clinic is conveniently located near the station, as is the entrance ramp, to route 34, so one can make a quick exit out of town - welcome to New Haven!

Posted by: nfjanette | December 21, 2006 2:05 PM

Compare this statement:

"I always love to yell at [Department of Transportation officials]: On budget! On time! And they did just that," she said before cutting a ribbon with a huge set of scissors.

...with this fact:

Then, shortly before Rowland's resignation in 2004, they reached an agreement, and officials announced that the new garage was underway.

Two and a half years later, you wouldn't know that by looking at the parking lot where it's supposed to go. Work hasn't started. In fact, the state doesn't even have architectural plans ready.

This incompetence brought to you by the DOT (Department of Tar), a state organization that also did everything it could to delay building better Shoreline East station parking lots for many years in a failed attempt to spike that program. Gov. Rell is doing a bit better than her predecessor, having finally signed on to investing in new rail cars to replace the decades-old units, but she need to kick more asses at the DOT to get the New Haven garage built ASAP. Perhaps the DOT is too busy drooling over their plan to rip up some of the most heavy duty rail ever laid in the state, from New Britain to Hartford, so they can pave it and run buses on the line. We could have had commuter trains running a decade ago on that line without issue. See a theme yet?

Posted by: nfjanette | December 21, 2006 2:21 PM

Regarding NED's comments regarding the lovely setting outside Union Station: 100% on target. That area needs to be flattened and rebuilt as a gateway corridor into downtown; it's been a disaster for decades.

Posted by: reality | December 21, 2006 3:25 PM

I fully agree with Ned and have made the same point previously. One thing...you could not build over the garage since the foundation was not designed for that load. The key is to bulldoze the concrete jungle which is essentially a drug distribution center. A new community could be built off the Boulevard, where the flea market is and a huge vacant site is across the street.

The across from the train station could be developed with buildings that incorporate retail, parking, office and residential.

I do believe the space could be leased out fairly quickly, especially when you considered that almost 30% of the people that travel to Fairfield county for work daily are from north of MIlford.

This is a true indication of how ineffective the City Department of Economic Development is and has been for years. Henry Fernandez completely ignored this, or was unable to understand it. Now we have a lady from New York that thinks New Haven is "nice" and a deputy that has never put together a single development deal. A project like this requires people with knowledge and experience, and we have neither.

By the way, I know there is a developer that has expressed an interest and offered to cover the cost of relocating the current residents. However the City has not expressed any interets in working with them.

However, lets celebrate spending $40,000,000 on River St. based on the foolish idea that manufacturing and industrial tenants will come. In case no one noticed these two types of use have selected the south for the past ten years over the northeast.

I wish more people would read this online paper, because it might lead to a public discussion and hopefully a change in direction.

Final note..if you think parking and traffic are tough now, wqait until they squeeze a school in on the Water St location. Getting to the trains will be close to impossible. Did anyone see a traffic study? I do market studies and I find it outrageous that we have such shortsighted development strategies. We need a new administration with new vision and effective department heads

Posted by: Esbe | December 22, 2006 9:59 AM

"Reality" -- I think the question was whether one might design an office tower on top of the new not-yet-designed garage, not the existing one.

"NFJannete" -- When talking about Church Street South, I don't like to hear talk about "bulldozing" it without talking where the folks living there will go. But a plan that would replace that horrible place with something sensible ought to be high on the city's priority list, and yet it isn't.

Posted by: katharine weber | December 27, 2006 10:49 AM

The parking situation is utterly horrendous, yet spaces in both of the nearby garages are always occupied by numerous New Haven Police Dept. vehicles. WHY?

And a free trolley shuttle between downtown and the train station would make a huge difference. But that is apparently beyond possible as well.

Posted by: NHRR | December 28, 2006 4:59 PM

I agree with Reality aboove. DeStefano is a useless incompetent who is mortgaged to special interests. One of the last industrial prospects to visit the city was a metals manufacturer who was interested in peoperty in the harbor area...only to be scared off by the mayor's union-backed pals at CORD. They demanded a community benefits agreement, and since the owner of the business could choose to move anywhere...HE DID! So much for economic development.

Jodi Rell kicked his left-winged butt in the worst loss ever recorded in a governor's race in the State's history. Maybe we'll be lucky enough to have the same thing happen in the next New Haven mayoral race. Are there any other candidates out there? PLEASE!!!

Posted by: charlie | January 2, 2007 5:43 PM

The City should relocate the CSS development as soon as possible. I know it's in the City's long-term plan to do so, but it's really sad that they've been talking about it for the past 10 years and nothing has happened. Basically the City has lost millions of dollars in potential tax revenue. Regarding the garage, of course street-level retail is a good idea. Union Ave is already a fairly heavily used pedestrian corridor and would be even better with retail, and the garage could accommodate weekend and evening shoppers with ease. The area is even better now that the City has completed its bridge from Long Wharf to Church Street South (one of the long term goals that they actually did manage to accomplish).

Posted by: Wellstone13 | January 2, 2007 10:57 PM

Interesting ideas. City Hall is blameless on the lack of a second garage? Its all DOT? I doubt that. Office and residential tower on top of the to-be-built garage at Union Station is a smart idea trading on location location location… and rising costs down the tracks. Let's get NH maximizing its location between NYC/Stamford and Prov/Boston. Check out Bridgeport's several and grand downtown plans, such as multiple towers rising next to their arena and ballfield. They just considered (approved?) zoning in certain areas to allow residential towers up to 50 stories. Last weekend I walked around the new tower in Hartford above the civic center, about 35 stories. Out of scale for us now, but perhaps in our future. I am not recommending NH do the same, but realize what COULD go on this land. What to do with that Sadr City we call CSS has, believe me, gotten lots of consideration by the City, its owner and Washington and they have listened to the community. But how much do you say the City should be willing to pay to take on CSS and have full guidance over its redevelopment? Sure, someone should bulldoze and build a smart mixed use community that both trades on the train station and on the vicinity to downtown / Yale med. Current occupants? Much $$ has been spent already on planning for their care and welfare, including input from them or their predecessors, including new rental and even affordable homeownership. I support the Mayor's struggle, under high level HUD mandate, to have not just New Haven but neighboring towns accommodate the CSS diaspora. Don't underestimate the efforts in many offices to do just what you are describing here. And don't hesitate to share your thoughts here, the right person might be reading. You know, this is just the kind of unsolved problem that made me feel DeStefano's job in New Haven is not complete, or his mandate satisfied, and that he should continue as Mayor.

Posted by: Wellstone13 | January 2, 2007 11:21 PM

NHI has written that the State (Rell) went back on an agreement (Rowland) to pay for the garage. Right? And now the City won't/can't step up. We should consider, why isn't the private sector screaming to step in? Perhaps they looked across the street at CSS. Or maybe during their visit their car window was busted out. This battlefield has not yet been softened. The garage is behind a dozen projects already underway funded by Connecticut taxpayers, and among another dozen City Hall is asking for funding. Do you understand how much State money flows into New Haven? Watch the Mayor's video of his school rebuilding. What, 70% state funded? Thankless self promotion, maybe the voters saw through the façade. Highway and rail expenditures, when done, will benefit NH. River Street environmental and planning. Housing construction / redevelopment all over town, both private and NHHA owned, not just rental but owner housing too. And while I think the State made NH cough up the demo money for the coliseum, once the behemoth is blasted, certainly the future developments (theater has been the subject of how many funded studies?) will be heavily state funded, for example Gateway going on land where the dept store was cleared with State money ten years ago. Which of these would you have cut to see the garage built with State money? This stuff takes time, and cooperation. I am optimistic.

Posted by: Wellstone13 | January 2, 2007 11:23 PM

Interesting ideas. City Hall is blameless on the lack of a second garage? Its all DOT? I doubt that. Office and residential tower on top of the to-be-built garage at Union Station is a smart idea trading on location location location… and rising costs down the tracks. Let's get NH maximizing its location between NYC/Stamford and Prov/Boston. Check out Bridgeport's several and grand downtown plans, such as multiple towers rising next to their arena and ballfield. They just considered (approved?) zoning in certain areas to allow residential towers up to 50 stories. Last weekend I walked around the new tower in Hartford above the civic center, about 35 stories. Out of scale for us now, but perhaps in our future. I am not recommending NH do the same, but realize what COULD go on this land. What to do with that Sadr City we call CSS has, believe me, gotten lots of consideration by the City, its owner and Washington and they have listened to the community. But how much do you say the City should be willing to pay to take on CSS and have full guidance over its redevelopment? Sure, someone should bulldoze and build a smart mixed use community that both trades on the train station and on the vicinity to downtown / Yale med. Current occupants? Much $$ has been spent already on planning for their care and welfare, including input from them or their predecessors, including new rental and even affordable homeownership. I support the Mayor's struggle, under high level HUD mandate, to have not just New Haven but neighboring towns accommodate the CSS diaspora. Don't underestimate the efforts in many offices to do just what you are describing here. And don't hesitate to share your thoughts here, the right person might be reading.

Posted by: Reality | January 3, 2007 4:02 AM

Happy New Year and glad to see so many concerned people sharing ideas. We ill move in teh right direction if we keep it up.

ESBE:yes a new garage could easily be designed to accomdate a structure with additional uses. i agree and I am working on it.

To all...this is a profitable venture and to wait for the State is foolish. The only problem is relocation of the rsidents and the purchase ffron Cinque Green. I think they will join the venture if we locate the new residences. I have an idea, but need to run it by city plan. They are smart, and Karyn is on top of things. New Haven just lacks an effective economic development concept. We have great potential, but new ides are not accepted at city hall. Trust me, I was in the system, and I could not get the point across. Maybe in the private sector I can. Please keep calling for this redevelopment. It is the future of New Haven, and within reach

Posted by: nutmeg | January 3, 2007 9:12 AM

Past attempts to raze the Hill in order to assuage the fears of white collar types have generally been unsuccessful, as is evident by the fact that they’re still scared.

But you’re right, church street south is not the best use adjacent to the train station. Same goes for the police department. And add the nursing school to that list while you’re at it.

Posted by: Cedar Hill Resident | January 3, 2007 9:30 AM

Esbe I agree with the fact there are a lot of families in that place they are going to need subsidized housing to move to, I do think that a lot of the families and people that live there would not be there unless they had no choose. I am seeing the poor slowly being pushed out of New Haven. ?? We talk about the diversity of our great city, well diversity is many things and it includes peoples socioeconomic factors, but I guess the goal of New Haven is starting to be to push the poor out. They are taken down Quinn Terrc. (which is going to help my area so who am I to complain) and now CSS; does anyone know where these people are going, does anyone care?? Or is it as long as it’s not New Haven’s problem??
“Well! Evil to some is always good to others.� Jane Austen

I agree a parking garage with a Target would be a great thing for that area but are the not any other ways to go with this?? My understanding and I could be remembering wrong but CORD had a powerpoint thing about Yale taking over that whole strip from the air rights garage to the railroad station in the next Ten years.