New Haven Independent

The Ingalls Rink, on Prospect Street at Sachem, was built by Eero Saarinen in 1958, and, said architect Phillip Kinsella, it has the distinction of being the only building in Connecticut to have made the American Institute of Architects list of the 150 most notable buildings.

Kinsella’s firm, Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo Associates, is the successor firm to Saarinen’s. It is spearheading for Yale University a $23 million renovation of the facility.

Most of that work — new varsity lockers for men and women, conditioning room, community space, and a hockey heritage area — will in effect be underground and not disturb the footprint of the building. However on the Mansfield Avenue side a sloping ramp for the disabled is also being put in; it too will be below grade.

City Plan therefore considered these changes minor adjustments to the PDU (a Planned Development Unit), the group of additional rules overlaid in the area (without zoning change) that allowed the rink in the first place.

No aldermanic or other referrals were therefore deemed necessary, especially as the architects said that in every detail of the planned work features of the building were all being restored to how Saarinen had conceived them.

The Victorian

Nearby in the Dwight neighborhood, at 1201 Chapel, Yale also is at work on one of its historic structures, the 1870 Victorian mansion that now functions as the Three Chimneys Inn bed and breakfast.

So long bed, and so long breakfast.

Yale has decided to convert the interior into offices to be used by Yale alumni and other university-connected organizations. The City Plan commissioners had some minor concerns about a fence and a drain. However, as long as the exterior of the mid 19th century house — in which a druggist named Dr. John Klock lived — remains untouched, the university may proceed, the commission decided.

The Greek Revivial Funeral Parlor

In Wooster Square, the Lupoli Brothers have decided to go out of the funeral business, at least in their Greek Revival building on Wooster Street at DePalma. This architect, Christiaan Dinkeloo, is tasked with turning the funeral home into homes for eight living people and their families.

Commissioners expressed concern with a too-narrow turn-around for garbage trucks, especially as two of the eight units would be placed in a carriage house in the back. It was not clear to A. David Banks, the developer, if the half-million-dollar project will result in condos or rentals.

Once again, as long as the new owners commit to not disturbing the exterior of the building, in which Henry Hotchkiss, a local oil and rubber baron, lived, approval was given to proceed.

Live-Work Loft Conversion

Finally, in another action that could have far-reaching, and potentially good preservation consequences for other old buildings in the city — of the industrial kind — the commissioners approved a text amendment to the zoning ordinance involving live-work loft conversion. These are individual units designed for residence and limited work use and they are located above first floor industrial or commercial areas in loft or factory style buildings older than 1963.

Erector Square on Peck Street in Fair Haven, said City Plan executive director, Karyn Gilvarg, is a model that has organically developed, with artist spaces, along these lines. The ordinance change was requested by owners of an industrial building on Chapel at East, who are eager to convert.

The current live-work ordinance limits conversion to take place only in residential zones. The amendment extends live-work loft conversion to industrial areas. City Engineer Richard Miller (on the far right in the photo with Patricia King, commission chair, on the left, and Maricel Ramos-Valcarel) asked Gilvarg to assess the impact. “This is really aimed at large mills and industrial structures, old factories which are difficult to use above the first floor. The impact will be positive.”

The city’s deputy director for zoning, Tom Talbot, suggested mendments to the amendment. Namely, that the ground floor business/industrial use be maintained; that each live-work unit would have to be discrete; that the worker reside there; that he or she can’t turn the place into a store, but can only sell items produced in the unit.

With these adjustments, the commissioners approved the amendment, sending it on to the Board of Alderman.