Laura Glesby Photo
Next up: Munson Street ex-factory slated for demo.
Science Park plans to knock down one more still-abandoned former factory building and construct 200 new apartments there. Newhallville alders and residents are seeking to ensure their neighbors can afford to live there.
The former factory building, at the corner of Munson and Mansfield has remained abandoned and neglected, with grids of shattered windows.
Since 1982, Science Park has gradually torn down or renovated other abandoned former factory buildings that once comprised the Winchester rifle complex, turning them into gleaming high-tech offices and upscale apartments.
David Silverstone, president of the nonprofit Science Park Development Corporation, revealed the plans for the Munson-Mansfield building at a meeting Tuesday of the Newhallville Community Management Team.
Thomas MacMillan File Photo
David Silverstone at a 2014 Board of Alders’ meeting.
Silverstone pitched the preliminary plan alongside New York and Cambridge-based developer Alex Twining at the meeting, which was held over the phone.
Since the building has been contaminated with oil, “you can’t actually live or work in that building,” Twining said. So the developer will have to demolish the building — which they’ve termed the “upper courtyard” since it has no visible number — and start from the ground up.
Plans are in early stages; the developers did not provide architectural sketches. They said they aim to build 200 to 250 apartments, 20 percent of which would be “affordable: units.
Silverstone and city Economic Development Administrator Mike Piscitelli noted that since the original building will be knocked down, the new complex can be designed to include more family-oriented, three-bedroom apartments — a scarcity relative to one and two-bedrooms in New Haven.
Google Maps
Satellite image of soon-to-be-developed “upper courtyard” on the corner of Munson and Mansfield.
“More family units, more ability for families to not just be stuck with a studio,” Piscitelli told the management team.
From the start of the presentation, neighbors were skeptical, wary that the project will accelerate gentrification and price out the community.
“Who are you targeting with these apartments?” asked Shirley Lawrence, the management team’s co-chair.
“It’s gonna be mixed-income — affordable and market, the whole spectrum,” responded Silverstone.
“You’re not displacing housing, you’re making new, right?” asked neighbor Ken Joyner.
Silverstoned responded in the affirmative.
Some participants suggested that Winchester Lofts, an existing Science Park luxury apartment complex right beside the forthcoming development, caters to Yalies rather than nearby residents.
“It does not appear to me that minorities are living in there,” management team secretary Cynthia Spears said of the Lofts.
Silverstone responded that he did not know how many Yale students and how many people of color live in the Winchester Lofts apartments.
On the Mansfield side, the greenery behind the building has overgrown.
Two Newhallville alders pressed the developers on their promise to make 20 percent of units affordable housing.
Alder Delphine Clyburn said she percentage should be “more than 20” for a 250-apartment development; she suggested 30 percent as a starting point.
Alder Steve Winter seconded this request. “We should look into what it would take to get 30 or 40 percent,” he said. “We need housing that is affordable for people in the neighborhood and not just an island on its own.”
He noted that an Ashmun Street project across the street is expected to include 33 percent of units for affordable housing.
Clyburn stressed that Newhallville residents shouldn’t have to worry about being pushed out of the area due to escalating rents. “We should look at people who are making 30 thousand, 40 thousand, even 25 [thousand per year] who should be able to stay in their neighborhood,” she said.
New developers are “taking the land where people have lived for 50, 60 years — and their families, their grands, their great grands are being run out,” she added.
One neighbor, who identified herself as Elizabeth, agreed. “With all the disparities here in the ‘Ville, people are homeless,” she said. “Their needs are not being met.”
Twining told the management team that he hopes to benefit the neighborhood by opening up streets within the largely-gated Science Park complex, including Sheffield Street, to cars and pedestrians. He said he believes this would help relieve potential traffic and parking congestion.
“It’s always been kind of gated,” Silverstone said of the Science Park area.
Winter said he approves of this idea. “It would be great if we had some more public green space, some more park space, more opportunities for kids to play outside,” he added.
One neighbor, who did not identify themselves over the phone, said a supermarket would also be nice: “We don’t have anything like that in Newhallville.”
Local 34 Union Steward Barbara Vereen interjected with another concern: jobs. “Will you be making sure that people hire local residents” for the construction work? she asked.
“We intend to comply completely with the city’s current requirements for city residents, minority, and female contractors,” Silverstone replied.
Neighbors continued to float questions and suggestions by Silverstone and Twining, until management team Chair Kim Harris noted that it was time to move on.
“I think we should continue to amass questions,” she said.
The developers promised to return to the management team with a visual presentation, either over Zoom or through an in-person, outdoor presentation.
20-30-40% affordable units discussed for occupancy in this development..?
Just what is affordable for New Haven 's current resident?
According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2018 community survey here are New Haven's Demographic Statistics.
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/newhavencityconnecticut,US/INC110218
Income & Poverty
Median household income (in 2018 dollars), 2014-2018- New Haven-$41,142.
U.S. $60,293.
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2018 dollars),New Haven 2014-2018 $25,818. U.S.$32,621.
Persons in poverty, percent 25.9% - New Haven 10.5%- U.S.
Affordable AMI basis: By law, a housing unit is affordable if it costs an occupant no more than one third of his or her annual income, where the income is less than or equal to the area median income (AMI) for the municipality where the housing is located, as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (CGS § 8- ...Oct 1, 2008
New Haven's medium household income is $41,000,with a household average of 4 to 6 persons needing at least a three bedroom apartment, the question is ..if Silverstone and twining will accept 30% of average income for New Havener's to live in these new units?? while the Market rate units may exceed 1400 per mo???