New Haven Independent

Posted by: robn | November 13, 2008 12:23 PM

If opponents don't want something allowed by zoning, then they should petition their alderman to propose a change to the Zoning Regulations.

Posted by: Funky Chicken | November 13, 2008 1:19 PM

Hi ROBN:

As I understand it even if the zone was changed the old business would be grandfathered in. Also spot zoning is illegal and will get the city sued, so there needs to be a compelling reason to change it.

There is an overlay on Whalley Ave doesn't this cover it already?

TFC

Posted by: news flash | November 13, 2008 1:45 PM

note to the Greers. New Haven has hired back to old assessor O'Brien @ 105,000. This should provethe administration has no direction. He starts 12/1 to bad Bridgeport wasn't informed. A laundromat is the wrong use and economic development along with planning should be directing development in a systematic manner working with residents and owners. Oppps forgot town hall is filled with know nothings. Maybe they should not only allow the laundry, but put them in deferral also. read defer madness

Posted by: Lance | November 13, 2008 1:51 PM

New Haven cracks me up. Stacked with liberals, but when it comes time for a business that attracts low income folks to their neighborhood they say "no way". Priceless.

Posted by: Steven Ross | November 13, 2008 2:53 PM

New Haven should be grateful for any business which will come here. If this rabble wins it will send a really bad message. Other stories today announce jobs going at Ives and the Register. I know a laundromat does not employ more than 1 or 2, but its better than nothing. If Mr Chan cant stand some competition hes overcharging and should go out of business. Thats the American way. A pity its been prostituted over the last 8 years by Bush doling out favors to his favored few. That would never happen in New Haven. Or would it?????

Posted by: WOW | November 13, 2008 4:16 PM

hey Lance, be nice. The liberals in this city are for all people, like you said, just not in there neighborhood. I say no to the laundromat, and yes to the liberals openning there homes to the poor so they can use their washer and dryer, and park in there driveway.

Posted by: Funky Chicken | November 13, 2008 4:44 PM

I live in the City and I am not liberal

TFC

Posted by: chuck | November 13, 2008 5:49 PM

Lance and Wow, notwithstanding spelling errors , you two are spot on.

Posted by: norton street | November 13, 2008 8:09 PM

There is a laundromat at the corner of hobart and whalley (a significantly blighted corner), there is a laundromat in the Edge of the Woods shopping center (midblock between norton and winthrop on whalley, two blocks from the proposed one) and there is a laundromat in the shaws shopping center at the corner of kensington and elm.
if there is truly a demand for another laundromat, then by all means build one, but from the looks of it i am skeptical as to whether or not another is truly needed.
the steel structure is set far back into the lot on whalley so ideally a laundromat would be in the back while a new structure would be placed right up against the sidewalk which would house non-chain retail store. whalley ave needs to make the transition between disgusting suburban strip mall (like boston post road and universal drive) to a livable, walkable center for the WEB community.
the reason so many people in the neighborhood oppose a laundromat type place is because of what was on the lot before, a dollar store. i remember one time when i was 10-12 years old i was in there buying a halloween costume and some gentlemen beat up the store owner because he supposedly sold them a broken glass table a few days earlier. and this past summer about half the days i rode by the dunkin doughnuts at the corner there was a group of guys at 12am-3am hangin out in front of it. its stores like those, dunkin doughnuts, dollar stores, laundromats, that this street doesnt need. if there were stores that closed at 9-10pm there would be no reason for people to be in front of them, but for chain stores thatre open much later create problems which are worse than the ones they are solving(people needing a more convenient location to clean clothes)

Posted by: ryan 6 | November 14, 2008 1:22 AM

why don't people buy a washing machine? it's oly like $300. it will pay for itself in no time. you'll spend $300 in less than a year at the laundromat. probably only in a few months if you've got a big family. those people living in rentals (like me!) who don't have a washer: convince your landlord to get one in your building. seriously, it's only like $300.

Posted by: anon | November 14, 2008 10:00 AM

Lance,
Please explain how a laudromat "attracts low income folks" to the neighborhood? I don't think anyone showed up to the meeting to oppose the plan for that reason.

Norton St.,
You are absolutely correct. People in this neighborhood and any other neighborhood in the city are not looking for antiquated designs like the proposed laundromat with parking in front and the building set back as they are in the suburbs. Most will agree a walkable community with fewer parking spots and more accessible buildings is preferable although the zoning laws discourage such design.

Just for the record, in three years residing in this city, I have lived in three different neighborhoods, and never had a problem doing laundry without using a car.(Though, this was accomplished as a single person. I do empathize with families and understand their need to use cars for such tasks).

Posted by: Lance | November 14, 2008 10:17 AM

How does a laudromat attract low income folks? Is this a real question?

Two kinds of folks would use this laundromat- college kids and people without enough cash to own their own washer and dryer.
Sure, there are some who might do a load or two if their machine is broke or they want to wash a big comforter or something- but most customers will be the same ones that are living on section 8, collecting foodstamps, ect. Oh, and you'll get a conga line of illegal aliens using it as well. Go down to your local ghetto laundromat and see for yourself. If you're afraid to go alone let me know, I'll take you on a tour.

Posted by: anon | November 14, 2008 11:04 AM

Lance,
I'm not afraid to go alone. If you read my entire comment you would remember I revealed that I've used laundromats in three different neighborhoods in the city, and never feared for my safety. You need to confront your prejudices, else I pray that your comment is an attempt at sarcasm.

If it is real, you still cannot claim that the laundromat will "attract low-income folks" to the neighborhood. Nobody goes out of their way, into another neighborhood, to do laundry. That was Mr. Chan's point, that the neighborhood already has a laundromat, as every neighborhood does. Please tell me you're joking.

Posted by: Edward_H | November 15, 2008 1:56 PM

Is there any business people in New Haven don't protest. If it's not convience stores, cheap gas, pizza parlors or Walgreens then it's the products people sell like soul food or Foie gras or how they decide to sell them like street vendors. For a city that flaps its gums about diveristy lots of people seem pretty small minded when considering business diversity. If the neighborhood does not want or need the laundromat it will go out of business just like Primo Pizza on the corner of Grasso and Whalley. Sorry Mr.Chan but competition is part of American business. When new housing is built this adds to the pool of prospective apartments for tenants seeking shelter and makes finding good tenants more difficult but I am not going to ask the city to stop all new construction for the well being of my bank account. Have florists or high end clothing stores been knocking themselves out to open up shop in this area? Have the property owners been turning away flowershops left and right? The "neighborhhood" can want whatever stores it likes but if no one is willing to open up a flower shop the "neighborhood" is out of luck unless they want to put up the money themselves.
Ryan 6
why don't people buy a washing machine? it's oly like $300.
To most tenants in this area $300 dollars is a significant sum of money
it will pay for itself in no time. you'll spend $300 in less than a year at the laundromat. probably only in a few months if you've got a big family.
With the price of everyday items such as food an clothing rising purchasing a washing machine is a luxury item and not a priority for many people.
those people living in rentals (like me!) who don't have a washer: convince your landlord to get one in your building. seriously, it's only like $300.
What reasoning would you use to convince your landlord to add an additional expense to his bottom line. Coin operatored washers start at a minimum of $500 not $300 and there are maintenacne costs as well.. There are companies who install and maintain washers and dyers but these companies are generally not cost effective for small properties. Any landlord who installs a non coin operated washing machine is just asking his tenants to run the machine with one or two items in it or encouraging his tenants friends and family to come over and wash their clothes since the washing machine is "free".

Posted by: JZ | November 18, 2008 10:35 AM

You're right, most people can find $300 over time to buy a washing machine. It's the hook ups and plumbing that are the problem in a rental.

As for Whalley, I don't know how the neighbors are going to effectively fight the laundromat, but more power to them! Anything to clean up that eyesore Whalley Ave. If there were ever a street that needed some gentrification-