NEW HAVEN, Conn. — For the first time in more than two decades, a major stretch of roadway in New Haven is getting some much-needed attention. Grand Avenue will soon see safety changes. The city is also investing in the long-vacant Strong School building at 69 Grand Avenue.
“It is such a unique place. We have the full spectrum of wealth and poverty, we have cultures from all over the world,” said Alder Sarah Miller, representing Ward 14 in New Haven. “This has just been the most welcoming community for us, but also, a community where there are a lot of challenges.”
The changes are something Alder Miller has been working on for a while, especially when it comes to road safety.
“This stretch of New Haven has one of the highest crash fatality rates. And the Grand and Ferry intersection in particular has a very high number of incidents of crashes and fatal crashes specifically,” Miller said.
The students who go to Fair Haven School, along the same stretch of road, notice it too.
“I see a lot of commotion involving the cars, speeding, or while crossing the street. It can sometimes be dangerous for kids crossing the road in the morning. Children often feel unsafe, scared around the neighborhood because of the rise in violence going around. But we can make it a better place by making it a better environment,” said Nathalia Marcano, a student at Fair Haven School.
The design phase for the safety improvements on Grand Avenue will begin in 2024. Then, it’ll take the city three years to complete the work after breaking ground.
They are looking at things like repaving the road, getting new sidewalks, better lighting, and more. Plus, they’re building a public plaza for community gatherings and events.
“It feels like we’re turning a corner. And there’s a huge amount of work when you haven’t had investment for that long,” Miller said.
But that’s not the only investment coming to Fair Haven. The long-vacant Strong School, empty and deteriorating for more than a decade, will be converted into a mixed-use building with 58 affordable housing units and a community art space catered to the LGBTQ+ community.
“Fair Haven has always been the most welcoming part of the city of New Haven, where everyone feels welcome, where everyone can grow,” said State Rep. Al Paolillo Jr., representing New Haven.
All improvements those involved say they’ve been waiting for, for years.
“I think it’s really the beginning of the revitalization of our neighborhood,” Miller said.
Both initiatives are multi-million-dollar projects. The groundbreaking on the old Strong School will happen in late 2024, or early 2025.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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