NEW HAVEN, Conn. — More development is coming to New Haven and it will happen on the site where the former New Haven Coliseum used to stand.
A project that's expected to break ground next week could take up to a decade to complete, but nobody in New Haven is complaining given how long they've had to wait for it.
Since January 20, 2007, when the New Haven Colosseum was imploded, the valuable parcel at the corner of Orange and George streets has remained vacant, but no more.
"This is really a gateway and one of the things we wanted to get across to the rest of the state is the growth that's occurring in New Haven," said Garrett Sheehan, President and CEO of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce.
This mixed-use project on a 3.5-acre parcel will be developed in three sub-phases for new housing, public amenities, and an office building used for medical and labs.
"The first phase is going to include 200 residential units," said Mayor Justin Elicker (D-New Haven). "I'm personally very excited that a good percentage of the units are going to be affordable units, 40 units."
There will also be 16,000 square feet of retail space and 25,000 square-foot open space for public access.
"The second phase is additional residential units and a parking garage and then the third phase is a medical science medical labs bio labs building," said Elicker.
A 20,000-square-foot building, housing medical businesses and labs, is scheduled to break ground next June and will include a ground-floor restaurant. About a block away, existing businesses are waiting to cash in.
"I'm very excited to have that here because automatically the business will go up," said Mohammed Ayub, the owner of Lazeez Indian Cuisine. "The more residents that come in the business volume goes in the city develops more traffic."
"It's gonna be better for all of us. For me, for Barcade, Somos, for all the businesses around here," said Ronald Carvalho, the Manager of All-Star Lineup Barber Shop in New Haven. "That's going to help everybody, especially us."
While construction gets underway next week, there will also be a community meeting to be held next Thursday night at the Canal Dock Boat House on New Haven Harbor.
Tony Terzi is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tterzi@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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