Brewing Co. Details Planned Fair Haven Move

Neighborhood Change, One Pint at a Time: The
Impact of Local Characteristics on Craft
Breweries
The strongest predictor of whether a craft brewery opened in
2013 or later in a neighborhood was the presence of a prior brewery. We
do not find evidence entirely consistent with the common narrative of a
link between gentrification and craft brewing, but we see a link between
an influx of lower-to-middle income urban creatives and the introduction
of a craft breweries. We advocate for urban planners to recognize the
importance of craft breweries in neighborhood revitalization while also
protecting residents from potential displacement.

https://arxiv.org/pdf/1802.03140.pdf

I've grown sick of IPAs with one exception, NEBCO Sea Hag. Hands down the most delicious beer ever.

The city should run, not walk, to get this done. Knowing the folks involved here on the city side, who have been at the city long enough to understand how arduous the road to redevelop River Street has been, I am close to assured they'd agree.

Always exciting to see vacant land get developed, especially land abutting the waterfront. However, the image of their proposed site plan is concerning. It looks like they are building a parking lot, with the actual building as an afterthought. Super unfriendly design for pedestrians, cyclists, and other patrons not arriving by car. The building should be adjacent to the street with parking behind it, not the other way around. The parking lot is bigger than the actual structure it serves! Unfortunately I assume it's too late to request plan revisions?

I thought this site was supposed to be for a Velodrome, or something like that? Did that project get cancelled? or am I looking at the wrong land parcel?

Agree that not building this right up to the street is a huge business mistake, in addition to being bad for the neighborhood's walkability.

All of the famous breweries that I can think of, including Two Roads and East Rock here in Connecticut, have more of a presence along the street they are on. Have the owners visited Portland, Oregon?

This will just look like another Walmart and be a forgettable place that people don't come back to. Coming back to New Haven is commendable, but the owners are doing it the wrong way.

They are placing the building to take advantage of the waterfront.

billct2 - understandable, but this configuration is no better than any big box store strip mall. It forces everyone to traverse a parking lot before arriving at the building, effectively isolating the business from the surrounding community. It's just bad urban design. They could tuck the building into the corner of Lloyd and River, and move the parking lot all to the right. This a great property and will take great advantage of the waterfront no matter what. But let's not forget the community on the other side.

I agree with ALW about the parking lot placement, it is more welcoming from the street scape side to have the building right on the street. I understand they want to buildings view to be of the water, though, what about putting the parking lots on the right and on the left of the building from the street with the building centered in the middle of the lot, and having the center land from the building to the street be a beautifully landscaped park like area? They could put in a gazebo and a flower garden and a fountain so they have usable attractive photo ready outdoor spaces on the waterfront side and also on the street side for hosting events like weddings, showers, graduation parties, bar/bat mitzvahs, quinceaneras, and other events. That wouldn't shrink their parking spaces capacity, but would shift it around and create the ability of hosting two separate events at the same time, or have an event and a restaurant operating at the same time separately with two different parking areas, one for each event. They could increase their profits that way while making the venue attractive from the street as well as the water.

Good news for Fair Haven and River Street. Interesting story that my Dad told me years ago. During Prohibition, 1920-1933, a rum runner was captured by agents and was held on the Quinnipiac River at the dead-end of Lloyd Street. He told me that is was burned in the water at its mooring. In 1983 I took a photo of the remains of the ship that was visible at low tide. Some old maps show it as a navigation hazard. Many years later I learned from Doris B. Townshend's book page 134 "Fair Haven, A Journey through Time," that the ships name was the "Jennie T". Now it will be connected to a Brewery.

Purchase price for the waterfront property?

Let me guess, $100,000?!?!!!! (Because of the supposedly lingering enviromental issues!)

This project will be an asset to the community, but gosh it would be nice to one time see a city-owned parcel fetch a fair price.

Wow, this would be wonderful. How about some docks so that boats can pull up? Perhaps the next door lot could attract a marina. That would add to the scenery, and bring in additional business. Lots of wealthy people driving their boats just outside the harbor but most don't come into the harbor. This might give them a reason to. Boats coming and going would add greatly to atmosphere.

1644, you're correct - the NHI ran an article on the velodrome proposal. Perhaps its backers can talk with the new owners of Sports Haven, which has a substantial amount of underutilized land and is adjacent to a bikeway.

ALW,/Heather, I would not be surprised if the siting reflects the pattern of contamination on the property. If you pave over a contaminated area, your remediation costs are less because people are subject to less exposure to the contaminated soil.

Kevin McCarthy- on the landscaping can't they cap the contaminated soil with paved walkways and raised garden beds and clean soil and turf on top of landscapers plastic? if you centered the building on the lot, but just as close to the water, and put in parking lots on either side, but in the front of the building between the building and the street, they landscaped it nicely, with photo/Instagram pleasing structures like a gazebo, water fountain, arbors/pergolas/arches for wisteria or roses, and raised garden beds, they could utilize the lot more and also look fantastic from the street. Moving the event entrance to the street side with a long u shaped driveway with the landscaping in the center for limo drop offs at the front entrance for bridal parties, etc. The truck/business entrance could still be on the parking lots side. They also could still site the building between the water and the building with the landscaping and hard scape and docks for watercraft visitors. They might even find someone who could do harbor tours on a large boat with food and beverages. I'll bet a beer and appetizers sunset boat tour would be fantastic with the lights of the city after the sun goes down. The current plan looks more like a industrial/commercial building and parking lot from the street, not a visually pleasing and welcoming venue for fabulous events and gorgeous views for dining and drinking and live music. With their early closing hours, lights out and doors closed by 10 pm, it shouldn't be a noise or disturbance issue for the neighbors.

I doubt the site plan is governed by contamination in as much as over 90% of the site is capped either by building or parking; the building could go pretty much anywhere.

This could be a welcome use, a welcome neighbor and asset to the city. Unfortunately the project, from a site planning standpoint, lacks the common sense shown by many of the commenters here at the Independent.

We might suggest it's in the best interest of the brewery to put its best foot forward and face the city on River Street, not show indifference if not contempt by showing us its back side.

It is about time New Haven is attracting businesses, after they already pushed away Two Roads, 12 Percent and No Worries, to name just a few. This area really needs to be fixed up and it will take years, but with NEBCO and soon, Armada, it is on its way!