David Sepulveda Photo
Segaloff, at center, and Zagoren, right, pitch neighbors.
The deteriorating unoccupied former factory complex at Whalley Avenue and Fitch Street may become home to a self-storage business — although some neighbors question whether that’s the best “gateway to historic Westville.”
An out-of-state company called Advantage Development Group is in negotiations to buy the West River-adjacent buildings at 781 Whalley and 50 Fitch — once home to the World War II-era Aerial Map factory, then the Community Action Agency) building — and has drawn up plans to renovate it.
It brought those plans to a Westville Community Management Team meeting Wednesday night at Mauro-Sheridan School.
The discussion was low-key compared to a community meeting earlier in the year, when the developer had less information available on the plans. Wednesday night the company said it plans to house 570 self-storage units at the business. Portions of the building fronting Whalley Avenue would receive upgrades in keeping with the building’s historical significance, with new construction, a 28,000 square-foot addition, created at the back of the building on the Fitch Street side designed to reflect the character of the existing 48,371 square foot brick structure. Two primary buildings comprise the Aerial Map factory site of 3.62 acres in total, with parking and an entrance at 50 Fitch St.
781 Whalley today.
Assuming the company completes the sale, it would need zoning relief from the city to carry out the plan. The company’s local attorney, James Segaloff, said there are no other development proposals on file for the property.
Advantage Chief Development Officer Stephen Zagoren said the building portion fronting Whalley would include a storage-related packing-and-shipping retail supplies store and art studios on the third floor. There has been some talk about the possibility of a bookstore. He also said he would consider selling the front building.
Zagoran said it will cost $600,000 for environmental remediation and roof repair at the site apart from new construction costs. After discussions with the department of economic development in New Haven, He said his group considered every alternative development scenario, including housing and retail, and none proved economically feasible.
Some community members present were not convinced.
Proposed Storage facility.
Lyric Hall owner John Cavaliere said he likes the idea of of people shopping and enjoying the village atmosphere. “I have mixed feelings that ‘Nothing else is going to work’ because this is what they said about Lyric Hall,” referring to his restored storefront building that held the bones of a long forgotten Vaudeville era theater. “Who’s to say that some creative soul wouldn’t provide a more interesting and welcoming idea? We are working on placemaking and branding here in Westville, and this seems inconsistent to me.”
Kate Bradley had questions about the consequences of allowing a variance that she suspected would open the doors for an unwelcome change should the buyer’s switch plans down the line. Bradley cited the outsized housing development right by the center of Westville on Blake Street that was ostensibly developed for luxury and upscale rentals, but not long after became a hub of student housing for area colleges.
Cavaliere, right.
Architect Eric Epstein, who recently moved his practice to Westville’s West River Arts building from a downtown location, raised concers about fidelity to the building’s historical preservation. But he also noted the building’s advanced deterioration, including hazardous building materials and some mold. Epstein did not foreclose on the possibility of razing the building as an alternative path to securing the land’s best use with a project that would serve the community’s needs and goals.
Though not at the meeting, Sergei Gerasimenko, a custom woodworker who lives within view of the proposed project in Westville, said that a storage rental facility would not encourage the kind of liveliness and interactivity needed in the Village. “Storage facilities are dead zones 24 — 7” he said.
Kate Bradley, in White, raises concerns.
Speaking at the meeting was Ward 27 Alder Richard Furlow, who said he stands behind any decision the community prefers. But he reminded meeting attendees that Fitch Street is already zoned for light commercial activity and is home to auto repair, landscaping and awning businesses in the stretch adjacent to the property.
Westville Village Renaissance Alliance executive director, Liz Donius, said that a neighborhood group is convening an open meeting on Monday, November 14, at 6 pm at Lyric Hall, in an effort to bring in more neighborhood voices and opinions and find creative solutions to this longstanding development issue.
“A storage facility at the gateway to historic Westville is NOT a direction forward for our village,” wrote Westville Village resident Muffy Pendergast in a message encouraging neighbors and “stakeholders” to attend last Wednesday’s meeting.
The city of New Haven was vociferous in its condemnation of Self Storage buildings off the highway at the edge of Fairfhaven and even more so a manufacturing building in the shadow of 91 which towers over it in the Wooster Square area.
As it appears the city however is supporting this use as is the local alderman. What is not clear at least to me is why.
Frankly from I can tell that Alderman is unlikely to keep his position in City Hall if he can't give some really good reasons to support this project - even then I suggest his political career might come to end in the service of a Self Storage facility.
Over the past few years I have seen that there are two visions of Westville: "re-emerging neighborhood" and "failed neighborhood" depending on who I talk to.
This proposal appears to be the work of the "failied neighborhood" narrative.
One ironic twist is that folks that have lived in New Haven the longest especially if they are "FROM" Westville are almost always on the "failed neighborhood" narrative. The people there, are positive and upbeat about their neighoborhood and its future.
Indeed the inspiration of See Click Fix, New Haven's favorite Internet and "social" business was developed by Ben Berkowitz because he wanted a better way to help improve HIS neighborhood.
What needs to be explained to me at least is how the reason for this choice is the poor condition of the building but to "fix" it - is only $600,000. That is not a lot of money to bring a 50,000 square building back to a modern useful life, $12 per square foot,
Like there are two narratives for Westfield, there are two types of developers [and city officials], those with imagination and those without it.
I suggest readers view the site from Google Earth of the building and surrounding property which is all part of the sale. It has proximity and views of the River, the Brook and West Rock, the Apartment complex and SCSU, and ask yourself, which narrative of Westville is at play here.