Meeting minutes: July 2021

[Christel Manning]

The Economic & Community Development group met on Monday, July 12, at 6 pm at 333 Front Street, New Haven. Present: Kirk, Kathleen, Christel, Lisa Fitch, Natalie Coe, David Hunter, Lee, Abby.

 

DINING OUT NIGHT:  We are going back to in person events. Next time at Salsa’s Mexican Restaurant, July 28, 6-8 pm. Lee will confirm with owner; then Natalie will post.

 

MARY WADE HOME: The new wing plans to open in second week of September. Tours are available. David reported on efforts to address problems with Chatham Square Park and adjacent liquor store (drinking, drugs, and trash). He sent letter to mayor, met with Sargent Fumiati, walked the neighborhood with him several times. Lee suggested Friends of Lewis Street Park might be able to help. City is not doing anything, perhaps because liquor store building owner works for the city. Next steps: find out when their liquor permit expires; contact LCI specialist Carmen Mendez; contact Drew at Friends of Park.

 

MARINA: Lisa reported marina is under contract to sell to local investors, PGX Investments, who are also purchasing other real estate on Front Street. They plan to continue to operate the marina and the restaurant and keep Lisa on as manager.

 

STRONG SCHOOL:  Lee reported that city formed a committee that includes Jeff Moreno from the city plus some local residents to plan for redevelopment of the building. The committee used grant funds to hire a consulting company, Interboro, to do a marketing assessment and plan. They are soliciting public input via a survey posted on CSNA. Later this summer they will provide 3 possible models for operating the building plus a list of possible developers. Then city will do another RFP.

 

RIVER STREET: Lee reported on proposed development projects. Actor Michael Jay White wants to do a movie studio called Jaigantic; they are currently operating in Shelton but will have much more space in New Haven. The city had leveraged the proposed movie studio to persuade New England Brewery, currently located in Woodbridge, to relocate to River Street. But now the movie studio says a brewery will be too noisy, so the city is proposing an alternate location at the end of Q-River park, near the Brewery Square apartment building. The location is better (much nicer view of river), so hopefully it will come through. 

OTHER BUSINESS:   There were a couple more agenda items that we did not cover, due to time or persons responsible not being at this meeting (noise ordinance proposal, shot spotter proposal,  updates on Mill River Trail and other gardening projects, planning for possible Fall CSNA event at Chatham Square Park). We will put these on the August agenda.