Amidst Urban Bustle, An Oasis Envisioned
by Paul Bass | November 20, 2008 3:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
In the middle of a block in the middle of a city, Stephen Cremin-Endes discovered a pile of stones and trash — and set about creating a rooftop garden of solace.
Cremin-Endes made his discovery in an inner courtyard of the old YMCA building on Howe Street near Chapel. Or what will become an inner courtyard.
The Y is now known as West Village Apartments, a 140-unit SRO where people can rent apartments for $310-$340 a month.
Cremin-Endes came there as part of a group called ALSO-Cornerstone. That organization just started a new on-site program for around 15 West Village renters in recovery for drug or alcohol addiction, part of a spreading movement called “supportive housing.” The program had an open house Wednesday. (Click here to about another such program ALSO-Cornerstone already runs across from the train station.)
As the group’s housing development specialist, Cremin-Endes was checking out the landscape at the 149-year-old Y’s grand renovated building. He noticed a space in the interior of the half-block-long building. A door led to a rectangular trash-strewn expanse. Unlike the rest of the joint, that area wasn’t renovated in 1995.
Cremin-Endes and his Guilford family brought a pick-up and hauled away all the stones and debris in five-gallon pails. Underneath was what turned out to be a roof above the old Y’s swimming pool. The roof was badly damaged.
Cremin-Endes had a vision: What about a bucolic space in the midst of the city where recovering addicts could find tranquility.
The roof was fixed. Then Cremin-Endes enlisted a friend, architect Peter Jelley.
Working for free, Jelley drew up plans for the garden. He put up a wooden deck, planters, a garden, and trellises with plants cling up to the sky. Now the staff will work with tenants at West Village to turn that plan into a reality. It will be, Cremin-Endes said, a place offering “a little solitude as well as a little hospitality.”
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Comments
Posted by: robn | November 23, 2008 10:34 AM
nice idea.
Posted by: Fedupwithliberals | November 24, 2008 8:02 AM
"Cremin-Endes had a vision: What about a bucolic space in the midst of the city where recovering addicts could find tranquility."
How about someone designing a bucolic and tranquil area for recovering working New Haven taxpayers?
Posted by: Jones | November 26, 2008 12:47 PM
In all my 17 years in working in human services, I have never witnessed any community organization attempt to secure funding for unnecessary services in a distasteful fashion as has been apparent in this article. As a member of the West Village Residents Council, who wasn't invited to the open house organized by ALSO-Cornerstones where this article found its life, it is my obligation to correct the characterization of the residents of the West Village residents.
What separates West Village from other apartment buildings on Howe Street is that it provides affordable housing for low income people which make up the majority of the residents. And as any community or apartment building, you will always have a few who are struggling with some of life's most difficult challenges. But to use the existence of this group to create services is unethical.
Posted by: Yolanda Herring | November 26, 2008 2:58 PM
Mr.Stephen Cremin-Endes did not discover a pile of rocks and trash at the WestVillage apt.he was shown that site by tenants and staff.
I have been a resident here at WestVillage for three years.I have been through three Property Managers as well as assistants we as a community have always encouraged managers to do something with that site,due to the tenants not being able to sit in front of the building.I as well as others would have liked to have seen that site built up,so that we would be able to enjoy the seasons as they come and go.
I'm appalled to have read the characterization that was placed by Mr.Cremin-Endes on the tenants at WestVillage,not all tenants here are recovering addicts.People here are hard working,intelligent and quite tenants,he can not judge all tenants here when it's only a handful.How dare he insult and disrespect the tenants it was in distaste and lies.
We here at WestVillage demand an apology from Mr.Cremin-Endes
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