nothin Isaias Rips Bigelow, Imperils Historic Plans | New Haven Independent

Isaias Rips Bigelow, Imperils Historic Plans

Thomas Breen Photo

Bigelow building after storm: Still standing, but for how long?

Tropical Storm Isaias walloped the former Bigelow Boiler factory building on River Street.

Parts of the roof may have collapsed. If the building cannot be stabilized, sections may be lost — along with the city’s efforts to revive an historic riverine industrial stretch of Fair Haven.

That news emerged Wednesday night in a brief but urgent update from City Plan Director Aicha Woods presented to the Historic District Commission (HDC) at its regularly scheduled monthly meeting.

The gathering via the Zoom teleconferencing app drew a dozen people including commissioners, Woods and Maya Vardi of the City Plan staff, and Director of Preservation Services Elizabeth Holt of the New Haven Preservation Trust..

Quite a bit of damage happened during the storm,” Woods reported of the array of buildings at 190 – 198 River St., which is the heart of of the district that runs along River Street from Ferry Street to Criscuolo Park. It received a National Register of Historic Places designation in 1989. The city has worked for decades to bring new owners to renovate the former factories and put them to new uses.

The former Bigelow Boiler buildings, which date to the 19th century, have been a particular target of efforts to attract environmental remediation and historical repurposing.

During World War II, workers there fashioned boiler units that were as big as a room in a house. Workers would put them together to test them, then take them apart to ship them out of the harbor on barges. But before they’d break them down, the workers would line up 10 or 15 of the huge boilers, stand in front with American flags, and have a photo taken.

Woods said that she, officials from the city buildings and other departments, and a representative from the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] were to meet Thursday in order to assess the situation to see if short-term stabilization is possible, or if the situation is more serious.

More serious could mean demolition of at least parts of the building.

Woods said many bricks dislodged in the storm. Sections of the roofs may have collapsed. The extent of the damage is to be determined.

HDC Chair Trina Learned asked Woods if bricks came lose in the storm, or if that damage was sustained beforehand.

Woods acknowledged that keeping body and soul of the building together has been an ongoing challenge over the years.

Earlier this year there was a request to demolish due to bricks falling,” replied Woods.

We’ve been resisting this though,” she added.

Due to the storm, pressure to demolish for health and safety reasons may be increasing. Since the storm, the rear wall has [also] collapsed,” she reported.

Roof material blew off so there’s also a concern regarding flying debris for the neighbors,” she added.

The silver lining to the situation, if there is one, is that we’re hoping even if we lose some of the back structures, to come up with a plan to stabilize the facade.”

At play are Thursday’s inspections by structural engineers and city and federal officials, along with application for grants for short-term stabilization that will give the city a chance to come up with a plan for longer-term stabilization.

HDC Commissioner Susan Godshall, who wears another hat as treasurer of the New Haven Preservation Trust, said that the latter organization recently sent a letter to City Hall to remind officials of the significance of the Bigelow complex. It was a letter not just of pleading but background and education.”

Officials come and go, Godshall said, and periodic educational reminders are therefore necessary to help maintain interest in the preservation of the city’s threatened public heritage structures.

Woods was fully aware of the significance of the building, and beyond the building itself and the effect potentially on the entire 8.5‑acre historic district.

If we lose the [federal historical register] listing for the district, it’ll dampen development opportunities. It impacts all of the area,” she said of a potential demolition.

The key is an understanding” of the building in context, Godshall concurred. Bigelow Boiler is the reason there was a district at all. It is such a key building.”

We’re grateful that the New Haven Preservation Trust is active in its advocacy,” said Learned.

Not all the commissioners were convinced.

Why is it worth saving that building if it’s costing so much money?” queried Commissioner Karen Jenkins.

That’s the purpose of the [NHPT] letter to explain,” replied Godshall.

Jenkins pressed her colleagues and officials as to how much, over the years, the various studies and stabilization efforts have cost.

The investment,” replied Woods, is small compared to potential financial benefits for redevelopment if we can keep the designation.”

Whether the building can be stabilized in the short term or sections will have to be demolished for reasons of public health and safety will be determined in the coming days.

Allan Appel Photo

143 River St.t Also At Risk

The demolition clock is also ticking for another structure on the north side of River Street and further west near Blatchley Avenue.

That would be 143 River St., the old industrial building at the back end of New Haven Awning Company at 178 Chapel St.

The company now wants to expand into 143 River St. and has made a request for demolition of the building.

That is legally required if a building is in an historic district. The request applies even though River Street Historic District is not one of our local historic districts but under the purview of state and federal regulations.

That normally triggers a 90-day delay period, but due to the pandemic Governor Lamont has signed an executive order extending to 180 days.

It’s a private owner,” reported Woods, and no federal funding” is involved, so there’s no Section 106.”

That part of the federal Historic Preservation Act of 1966 requires that if a historic building for urgent reasons must come down, then some sort of mitigation or compensation must be made to the neighborhood of which that building is a part. That could take the form, for example, of plaques, consultations, or historical studies.

While none of that applies in the case of 143 River Street, Woods said the city has not given up hope. We’re looking at other alternatives,” she reported, in consultation with the awning company and with the 143 landlord.

The commissioners agreed that it would be another blow to the River Street Historic District if this building too were lost.

SHPO [the State Historic Preservation Office] feels this is an important historical asset, although it’s not a charismatic facade,” said Woods.

It’d be hard at this point to lose another piece of the puzzle,” said Commissioner Doug Royalty.

Stay tuned.

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