New Haven Independent

Commissioners voted this week to approve acquisition of five parcels along Canal Street which have been surplussed by the Housing Authority of New Haven (HANH). That is, they were not used in the construction of Monterey Place, which replaced the Elm Haven projects.

Happy result: the total cost to the city, Economic Development Administration staffer Michael Pinto told City Plan commissioners, will be a cool ten bucks.

Approval was also given for the city to lease three lots on Ashmun Street, also adjacent to Scantelbury Park. The lease is for 10 years at $25,000 per, for a total of $250,000, said Pinto, because in this instance Housing and Urban Development guidelines require the land to be leased at fair market value in that it was never surplussed by HANH. However, at the end of ten years, that option to purchase will kick in at an even better price, one buck.

These acquisitions were culminations of 2006 development agreements with Yale University when it negotiated with the city in the building of Yale’s Rose Center/ Dixwell-Yale community center at the corner of Ashmun and Canal. Yale University will pay $250,000 for the improvements.Yale contributed an additional $500,000 as part of the land disposition.

In addition to basketball courts, the improvements will include play equipment geared to various ages, including a water feature, picnic facilities, walking paths, and new landscaping.

The city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Trees will carry out the work.