Processing Your Payment

Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.

November 6, 2020

Initial Coliseum site development garners approval 

IMAGE | CONTRIBUTED An artist rendering of future development at the former Coliseum site in New Haven.
By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

The City Plan Commission on Wednesday approved the site plan for an initial phase of development at the former Coliseum site.

For this first phase, developer Spinnaker Real Estate Partners plans to build one mixed-use building with 200 housing units and 15,000 square feet of retail on the 275 South Orange St. parcel. 

While the five acre former home of the New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum is currently a parking lot, Spinnaker is planning a multi-phase, multi-year redevelopment of the property. Spinnaker ultimately envisions the site being home to five or six new buildings, with a total of 500 to 700 housing units, 80,000 square feet of commercial space to include office and laboratory uses, and 30,000 square feet of retail.

The developer will have to return to seek required city approvals for future phases.

Frank Caico, vice president of development with Spinnaker, said the developer will pursue the second building after the first one is under construction.

Prior to voting, the commission heard comments from the applicant and the public. 

At a prior public hearing, some residents raised concerns about how much of the housing will be affordable. According to the developer, 20 percent of apartments will be set aside as affordable. 

Residents also asked questions about traffic and safety.

Ted DeSantos, senior vice president and an engineer with Fuss & O’Neill, discussed how the project includes a “laneway,” or a new street which would extend from South Orange to State Street.

According to DeSantos, it will be designed to reduce traffic speed and create an environment friendly for bicyclists and pedestrians. Instead of asphalt, the laneway will feature pavers to differentiate it from other city streets. The speed limit would be 10 miles per hour, and the plan is for two vertical speed humps to slow traffic. New trees, lighting and benches will line the laneway, which will have wide sidewalks.

According to the developer, it will mirror “slow” or “shared” streets common in Europe and also found in Connecticut, including in Storrs, South Windsor, Stamford and Hartford.

Residents also asked about the timeline for the project. Spinnaker indicated it anticipates breaking ground in mid-2021 on the Phase 1, Building 1 project, and construction would take 18 to 24 months. Subsequent buildings and phases are expected to begin once the prior phase reaches approximately 90 percent occupancy.

Commission Chairman Edward Mattison noted that the project includes “quite a bit of retail space.”

“What makes you think you can fill all that space?”

Caico responded that the first building has half the retail of the total project, or 15,000 square feet of the total 30,000. The retail space will be suitable for food, beverage and restaurant uses in addition to stores, he said. As a contingency, space could be used for offices, though he said the preference is for retail. The developer is in preliminary conversations with potential tenants, Caico added.

Residents who spoke Wednesday expressed support for the project.

Jay Brotman, a resident and architect with Svigals + Partners in New Haven, called the plan a “great start to bringing activity to that area.”

“It will make it safer with more activity,” he said. “It’s nice to see the contemporary look to the building. I think this is a wonderful project.”

Gopi Nair, who owns the downtown restaurant Tikkaway, said he is excited about the development.

“This definitely is extremely welcome to the neighborhood,” Nair said. “From the business perspective, it’s a no-brainer, and it will bring a ‘live, work and play’ atmosphere.”

Ginny Kozlowski, executive director of the Economic Development Corporation of New Haven, said she anticipates the project will mean more people walking around downtown.

“We think this is a visionary project and will fit in well with the neighborhood, and we look forward to the project getting underway,” Kozlowski said.

The plan is to reserve approximately 30,000 square feet of the parcel for public open space. 

For more information, visit www.nhcoliseum.com. 

Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.

Sign up for Enews

Most Recent

Most Recent

0 Comments

Order a PDF