New Haven Independent

Pearson, who lives at the housing authority’s Ribicoff House cottages for the elderly in West Rock, made that comment Wednesday to a developer who’s rebuilding the nearby 195-unit Brookside and Rockview projects.

The developer, Peter Wood of Michaels Development Co., was appearing at the monthly meeting of the City Plan Commission to present his company’s plans. He ended up spending as much time trying to convince elderly neighbors as the commissioners about his intentions. (Pearson and Wood are pictured.)

The Housing Authority of New Haven, the city and New Jersey-based Michaels Development will present a planned development district this summer for city approval.

Pearson pleaded with Wood not to run roads through her project and to make its replacement safe for the elderly. The neighborhood is on a remote stretch of land in the shadow of West Rock, near Southern Connecticut State University. Several projects stand side by side.

Wood promised to make the project as much about the people who will build it and who will live there as about money.

When told that the elderly-housing component will be one of the last to be built, Pearson said, “Could you please hurry up. I’m 72 and I can’t wait that long.”

Officials did express concerns, too, Wednesday night. City Engineer Richard Miller pointed out what he called a potentially dangerous intersection in the plans. He said it reminded him of the west end of Goffe Street, where cars run into a guardrail protecting a house with regularity. Wood and his colleagues said they would work on it. They will be back next month.