New Haven Independent

“We want to transition to a knowledge-based economy,” Murphy, New Haven’s economic development administrator, explained at the start of her semi-annual briefing to the Board of Aldermen Wednesday. In the hopes of attracting new professional firms, Murphy and her staff have been giving “familiarization tours” to potential businesses, specifically biotech firms. “70 percent of Connecticut biotech firms are in New Haven,” Murphy attested, “so we’ve been emphasizing that.”

Another effort has been the Facade Improvement Program, which works with brand-new, pre-existing, and expanding businesses. The bright, clean look of the Audubon Neighborhood Music School and the lusty red exterior of the recently-arrived Kudeta restaurant on Temple Street were both achieved with the aid of the facade program, which is facing 160 eager clients in the coming year. The success of this program has prompted plans to combine it with a popular business loan project connected to the Small Business Initiative. The thinking is that small business owners will be able to get everything they need from one program, rather than hopping from administrator to administrator.

High-profile topics on the agenda were plans for the Coliseum site — a celebrity of late — and Yale’s negotiation with Dixwell residents over its plans to build two new residential colleges. In two to three months, Murphy assured, the Coliseum site will be cleared and used as a temporary parking lot. Discussions are underway among Long Wharf Theater, the Knights of Columbus, and various residential, retail, and commerical developers about a more permanent design for the space. As for Yale’s construction plans, Murphy said that the university has promised the city $10 million for infrastructure development as well as additional funds to improve Dixwell’s Scantlebury Park.

Nicole Jefferson (pictured), director of New Haven’s Commission on Equal Opportunity, has helped spawn hundreds of new jobs in the past year. The commission’s focus on school construction has led to temporary employment over 500 residents, and CEO’s cooperation with Strive, a non-profit providing training and empowerment to unemployed residents, has contributed to the largest graduating New Haven Strive class yet.

Though not many aldermen questioned Murphy, Roland Lemar of East Rock (shown) expressed concern that the city’s labor force had not increased, perhaps due to an emphasis on drawing big firms rather than augmenting small businesses. Murphy acknowledged his point and the fact that New Haven would benefit from many more initiatives aimed at small businesses. With only a five-person staff, however, she said that the business development office is doing the best they can.

Murphy ended her presentation reminiscing over the astounding success of the summer’s jazz festivals, each of which attracted 25,000 people. “It’s been a banner year,” she smiled, and none of the aldermen said otherwise.