$316M Union Station TOD Revealed

(Updated) Two 16-story towers containing 470 apartments and 28,000 square feet of retail and commercial space are now slated to be built next to Union Station, per the governor’s announcement Wednesday of a major new transit-oriented development.

Gov. Ned Lamont and state Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Laoise King broke that news in an email press release. 

The governor, Mayor Justin Elicker, and top city and state officials gathered at that same time in the parking lot just north of Union Station to hold a press conference about the project. 

According to the governor’s press release, the $316.1 million project will be led by Gilbane Development Company and MURAL Real Estate Partners. 

The press release states that, of the 470 new apartments, 118 will be ​“affordable units.” 

At Wednesday’s presser, Elicker said that 20 percent of the new apartments will be reserved for households making no more than 50 percent of the area median income (AMI), which currently is around $45,500 for a two-person household. Elicker said an additional 5 percent of the new apartments will be reserved for those earning up to 80 percent AMI, which currently translates to $72,800 for a family of two.

In addition to the 28,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, there will also be 26,000 square feet of residential amenities and 294 parking spaces to serve tenants and transit customers.

Construction will unfold in two phases. The first, scheduled to begin in late 2026 and finish in early 2028, will include 280 units and 393,000 square feet of development. The second phase is slated to begin in August 2029 and wrap up by November 2031, delivering the remaining 190 units and 286,000 square feet.

Opening Wednesday’s press conference, Elicker described Union Station as ​“the welcoming mat to the city” and framed the project as part of a broader initiative to increase the city’s housing supply. This will help ​“make sure we build, build, build,” he said, noting that 7,000 apartments are currently in the pipeline citywide.

King viewed the idea of building more as ​“really exciting,” though emphasized that what constitutes appropriate housing depends on a community’s size and character. Nonetheless, she said, ​“There is so much land that can be put to higher and better uses.”

Gilbane CEO Edward Broderick highlighted the development’s mixed-use, mixed-income vision. His company is committed to providing ​“quality housing that serves a wide range of incomes,” he said. ​“One day, the short walk from here and the Green will be filled with spaces where families are happy to go; where they can get a cup of coffee or lunch.”

MURAL CEO Robin Ziegler echoed that vision for a vibrant neighborhood, saying the development aims to attract ​“young professionals, families, singles, and empty nesters” alike. She said the commercial portion would likely include both food and retail, selected in coordination with the city using ​“a community-driven and community-centered approach” to ensure they ​“provide something for everyone.”

New Haven-based firms Pickard Chilton and Newman Architects are among the architects chosen for the project.

For Pickard Chilton Principal Adrienne Nelson, one of the more exciting parts of the project is ​“the opportunity for creating an amazing destination along that walk downtown.” In addition to addressing the housing crisis, she said, ​“it adds to the community in terms of creating a sense of place and arrival.”

On the question of parking — where 294 spaces will be available at the end of construction — King said she ​“think[s] it’s going to be sufficient” for residential and commercial uses. Commuters, she added, will be encouraged to use a multi-modal transit center planned for the station’s West Lot, which is currently in the design phase.

Newman Architects Principal Melinda Agron agreed. Based on data collected by her firm, many parking garages in New Haven are underutilized, demonstrating the city’s reduced demand for parking, as well as providing another parking option for the building’s future residents. ​“It takes a cultural shift to get used to the idea that we don’t need as much parking,” she said.

City spokesperson Lenny Speiller told the Independent that this newly announced development project will not impact the existing Union Station Parking Garage, which has 876 parking spaces. He also noted that the state Department of Transportation is planning to build an additional parking garage on the West Lot. That new garage will have 400 to 600 new parking spaces.

Wednesday’s announcement comes nearly four years after the city, state, and parking authority struck an agreement in 2021 to build up the lot just north of Union Station into a new mixed-use development. By late 2024, four developers had responded to a request for qualification for the project: Gilbane, Spinnaker, Richman Group, and Twining Properties.

Thomas Breen contributed to this report.