New Haven Independent: Commission OKs SciPark Garage

Commission OKs SciPark Garage

by Leonard J. Honeyman | May 13, 2008 4:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)

Carter Winstanley (pictured) said he’s usually not an optimist, but is willing to bet tens of millions of dollars that Winchester Avenue and Munson Street are ready for a renaissance.

The New Haven Development Commission Tuesday passed Winstanley’s plan to build an 1,186-space parking garage with stores at ground level and sent it off to the City Plan Commission and the Redevelopment Agency for their perusal.

The project would involve no city money and would pay city taxes, the commission was told.

Winstanley, a partner at Winstanley Enterprises LLC, which also owns and operates the 300 George St. complex, said the garage was necessary if he were to succeed in renting out the 284,000 square-foot building he recently purchased at 25 Science Park. Winstanley put the cost of the garage project in the $30 million range.

The proposed garage is across Winchester Avenue from the Forest City Ratner project that would, if approved, turn the former Winchester Repeating Arms factory into homes and offices. One of the problems neighbors have with that project is the lack of trees. See previous stories here and here.

Winstanley said he wants to turn his section of Winchester Avenue into a boulevard with a raised median, lots of trees and retail spaces that would bring people to the area, slow traffic that now speeds along those streets and make the area more attractive.

“I want to bring 1,000 people onto the street,” he said, adding that too many garages in New Haven are like vaults that keep people inside. “The idea is to bring all the people to the outside of this,” he said about the design of the garage.

Kevin Ewing, a Development Commission member, said he thought Winstanley’s plan addresses neighborhood residents’ concerns about the lack of trees and an attractive street scape.

“I don’t know any other way” of improving the neighborhood other than a developer investing and taking a chance on the area.

“He’s doing it on faith, and I’m a preacher,” Ewing said of his support for the plan.

Neighborhood residents would have to be helped to become the owners of the coffee shops and other retail businesses that Winstanley envisions lining the street where the garage would stand. He said that help would have to come from many sources; he declined to speculate who that would be.

Neighborhood resident Ernest Green, who lives two blocks away on Henry Street, said he would buy from merchants in the new building.

“Yes, I’d buy a cup of coffee and maybe a newspaper, too,” he said. “This neighborhood is coming back,” he said, pointing proudly to a renovated house across the street from his own neat, well-kept home.

In addition to the garage and 15,000 square feet of retail space, the project would include a chilled water facility with cooling towers that would provide chilled water to 25 Science Park and part of Yale University. The specifications called for the noise generated by the facility to be less than the maximum nighttime noise permitted within any residential area under zoning law. About 10,000 square feet of research and development space also is envisioned.

The area around Winchester Avenue and Munson Street was humming with activity Tuesday morning, with the street in front of 25 Science Park partially blocked off for crews digging in the street.

There also was activity in the parking lot that would become the garage.

Adam Moore, left in photo, of Konover Construction Corp., was examining a hold dug in the parking lot “to see where this tunnel goes,” he said.

Moore said Konover, which has built structures such as One Century Tower at Church and Grove streets, was beginning to work on the project, although Winstanley said the contract for the project had not been finalized.

Moore was accompanied by Paul Bateman of Fuss & O’Neill, a major consulting firm, that he said was working on the environmental issues. A dilapidated building that would be torn down as part of the project is in the background.

Winstanley said he hoped to break ground in about a month and have the structure complete in a year.

The developer had told the Development Commissioners Tuesday that there were significant environmental issues both in the dilapidated building and in the ground under the lot and building. He said his company was fully committed to remediate any environmental issues that were encountered.

Winstanley, who owns the former Southern New England Telephone Co. building at 300 George St., said that was a challenge to rent, but the 500,000 square foot building was now fully leased. He hopes to repeat that scenario at 25 Science Park, which is largely empty except for one highly successful tenant, Higher One.

He said his company is willing to invest the time and the money in the project because he is in the market for the long haul.

“I’m willing to be patient,” he said.

Comments

Posted by: Name Withheld | May 13, 2008 4:08 PM

The entire 25 Science Park building is already "expected" to be leased by Yale University, according to numerous reports. This isn't really a speculative project.

Posted by: Esbe | May 13, 2008 4:55 PM

1 -- no city money
2 -- will pay city taxes
3 -- ground level retail
4 -- streetscape improvements, including trees,
5 -- necessary to success of 25 Science Park (aka Higher One plus Yale offices, all in a tax-paying building.)

This is a win-win-win-win-win deal.

Posted by: DingDong | May 13, 2008 5:13 PM

Would be good if the Downtown trolley (if it ever gets built) connected this future major site with Downtown and Union Station. As it is, it'a a little far to walk. Seeing that Yale looks like it's investing in the area heavily, maybe they might pick up part of the tab?

Posted by: Webblog 1 | May 13, 2008 5:41 PM

First the Yale police station, then apartments on the Olin/Winchester site, then new parking here, then rent out Science park to Yale.
This is not even difficult to figure out.

In time you will discover that this 1,186 parking lot project is underwritten and financed by Yale, for Yale, and designed to be a feeder system for the new dormitories under construction on the western end of Winchester between canal.
The best the neighborhood will realize of this project will be the ability to "BUY a cup of coffee and a newspaper". This is just more Yale expansion under another name.

Winstanley is "Betting tens of Millions of dollars that Winchester and munson St's is ready for a renaissance".
"The only problem the neighborhood has is the lack of trees...Please...what an insult! In fact,
What a sham.

Posted by: In The Hood | May 13, 2008 6:33 PM

As a a resident in this 'hood, I will take a Yale expansion any day over a set of boarded up useless buildings that create blight and feeds into a perception of slumhood.

Those of us who fix up our houses, pick up trash on our streets, plant community gardens, mow our front lawns,connect with our neighbors, meet in our management teams and try to get rid of, or, at least discourage rift-raft behaviors and negative elements --welcome this project!

The investors are taking a chance on our neighborhood-which God knows is not great.. We want to step up and help make it successful!

Posted by: Esbe | May 13, 2008 7:08 PM

Weblog1 -- yes, what a sham -- the city's largest employer is expanding into tax-paying buildings built on previously derelict land! The non-management Yale staff there will all be unionized, its a crime! Let's organize to stop it! No to progress! No to jobs! No to unions! No to new taxpayers!

And let's all slam Yale for failing to do what it has every legal right to do, which is to simply buy 25 Science Park outright, kick out Higher One, build its own garage and "chiller plant" and then take the whole complex off the tax rolls altogether.

And to Ding Dong -- great idea for the trolley. (seriously, not snarking anymore.)

Posted by: nfjanette | May 13, 2008 7:23 PM

He hopes to repeat that scenario at 25 Science Park, which is largely empty except for one highly successful tenant, Higher One.

That must come as a surprise to the two science companies also located in the building, one of which I know is a successful and growing bio-tech firm.

Posted by: Webblog 1 | May 13, 2008 7:40 PM

ESBE,
I see your at it again, defender of the rich at the expense of the poor. I take it you are a surrogate of YAle or better yet Mike Morand's mouth piece.
You charlie and I had this discussion earlier in the link above, and I repeat again:

"I appreciate your comments, I agree that income diversity is important to the city as a whole. However, it is Forest city's intent to understand the feelings and historical background which has influenced the thoughts of this community".

Judging from the article above, Forest City makes this clear.

Perhaps what you did not understand is that the community is NOT, and I emphasize NOT, against development as a consequence to increasing the tax base, on the contrary, this community is reminding the powers that be of their long standing commitment, a benign commitment which continues unabated. Here too lies the opportunity for increased tax revenue.

We would appreciate it if Science Park or Yale were to respond as you have".

Your out>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>/

Posted by: B | May 13, 2008 8:18 PM

wrong building nfjannette

Posted by: DowntownNewHaven | May 13, 2008 8:47 PM

You are correct to hint at the need for more incubator-type space in the city, however. The lack of incubator space in the early 1990s was one reason why many companies that were formed here ended up moving out to other locations. Thankfully, Winstanley has corrected that with projects such as 300 George Street. I would suggest that the city (and interested developers like Winstanley) now begin looking into additional spaces such as the New Haven Clock Company building, which is located just off of Hamilton Street (30 seconds from I91 North) and critically underutilized despite the fact that it is a short walk from downtown.

Unfortunately, some of the older industrial buildings, like the Clock Company, do not lend themselves to incubator conversion as well as larger-floorplate, early- or mid- 20th century properties like 25 Science Park and 300 George Street did. They would make very fine residences, however.

Posted by: bugupit | May 13, 2008 11:46 PM

Amazing proposal really. surprising quantity of parking spaces proposed here, in the middle of an industrial wasteland, compared to Union Station. Winstanley has a solid track record and I appreciate his interest in Science Park. One thing, though, the "dilapidated building" in the background was, as I understand it, built to withstand Nazi bombing,should be a pretty interesting demolition.

Posted by: Esbe | May 14, 2008 10:49 AM

Weblog1 -- I thought this discussion had a familiar ring to it. However, in your second comment, you are hardly defending your original assertion, which got me worked up, that this proposal is some kind of "sham".

In all seriousness, what are you in favor of on that site? How do you imagine it being funded?

Posted by: Webblog 1 | May 14, 2008 1:06 PM

Esbe:

The fallacy concerning this any any project built in lower Newhallville is that it is contemplated with the concerns of the neighborhood upper most in mind.
If the neighborhood concerns are only for trees and the ability to buy a "cup of coffee and a newspaper" in order to endorse this project, that is the insult.

According to Kevin Ewing,
"I don't know any other way" of improving the neighborhood other than a developer investing and taking a chance on the area.

How shallow.

"He's doing it on faith, and I'm a preacher," Ewing said of his support for the plan".

Ewing had a vision I take it!

Both Ewing and you are in need of schooling.

This area is located in an empowerment zone which enables the area to solicit for federal grants and low interest tax loans, and tax abatement for development. Since 1968 a city developed plan has sat in wait of housing and economic and job development to take place.
For years the city subsidized Winchester Olin to remain. They did not. Instead they fled the city and took a boat load of city tax money with them.
Fast forward to today...

The city helps Yale to develop a economic development component to assist the city. Today the Mayor proposes to cut the city's economic development office and depend on Yale EDC. Yale encourages out side concerns to re-develop the Winchester site which already contains Yale's bio/chemical companies. The developers need neighborhood/ resident in-put in order to satisfy state and the federal government requirements.
Developers meet with residents, residents express concerns far beyond what is reported here, those concerns are ignored. Concerns about trees and coffee are addressed. Residents then reported as happy,developmemt commission and Ewing approve the project and feel great about it.

In the meantime, the new home owners at Munson & Winchester,( Montery Terrace) have to be content with a 1200 parking space, five story parking lot practically in their front door.
By the way, residents on St Ronan and Edgehill RD won't tolerate required parking, even though it's in the rear of buildings own by Albertus college.
Residents of lower Newhalville, however, should feel elated about a 1,000 more cars a day driving through their streets in order to provide Yale's continuing expansion even if green, at their health expense.

Many of the posters here envision development on this site as it relates to jobs and tax base.
People of newhallville however have since learned that lesson, for example, recall the original built out of Science Park in the 1990's, residents were fed the hook about jobs for development... Count'em.

I will stop here in anticipation of your response......!

Posted by: Esbe | May 14, 2008 4:09 PM

Weblog1 -- well of course no private development is actually planned with the "needs of the community uppermost in mind." If someone says that, they are just pandering. Now, I understand that over the decades many pandering politicians specifically promised some kind of magical development would directly and greatly benefit Newhallville. They were all lying -- they never had any such plan. If you can point out what manufacturing firm actually wants to locate there, then I would back that plan.

And yes, this is no brave act of entrepreneurship, rather it is probably (effectively) Yale-funded activity. Better than city-funded.

Empowerment zone tax breaks, and other possible government subsidies, have been in effect on that land for quite awhile and yet the buildings are empty and worthless, depressing surrounding property values. The only question today is between "feasible development" on one hand and further decay on the other. Rebuilding and tax payments vs. nothing. The choice isn't between "Yale expansion" and "magical economic development fairy."

"In the Hood" above lives nearby and agrees with me, he (or she) doesn't want decaying buildings to sit there forever.

As for cars and parking, this area has been a commercial/manufacturing zone forever, tens of thousands used to show up for work at that plant. Of course using the land is going to involve some traffic and parking. If we can get at trolley, then that is much better, but someone has to find $30 million dollars.

Posted by: In The Hood | May 14, 2008 4:35 PM

The city plan commission will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 on both the proposed Science Park parking garage and the Albertus Magus College's proposal to enlarge its existing parking facilities on East Rock Road.

7:00pm, 165 Church Street. Meeting rooms 1 and 2 on the 2nd floor.

Posted by: Bulldog | May 14, 2008 8:44 PM

A private developer gets all the approvals with his crackerjack development promising to pay tax. When it all goes wrong he sells it to Yale for a profit. Yale then takes it off the tax rolls. Not stupid, at Yale. Mana from heaven for them.

Posted by: nfjanette | May 14, 2008 10:58 PM

NFJanette, those other two companies at 25 Science Park take up very little space, relatively speaking, and do not have any immediate plans for expansion. Higher One is a major tenant that has been rapidly expanding and currently rents a significant amount of space in the building.
I know the building well; most of it is empty (floors 4-6, most of floor 1, roughly about 1/2 of 2 and 3) It appears that Higher One has more space, but not that much more, than the two science companies combined. There is major work underway to prepare the upper floors for "something".

Posted by: JackNH | May 15, 2008 2:23 PM

My father worked at Winchester Colt for years, but Yale expanding in the neighborhood doesn't bother me at all. We're lucky to have *someone* investing in our city . . . There are lots of cities where there's nothing, absolutely nothing of a positive nature going on. (Disclaimer, I work for Yale)

New Haven Independent

Commission OKs SciPark Garage

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