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November 9, 2021 REAL ESTATE

New Q House debuts in Elm City

PHOTO | Courtesy Carl Vernlund Photography An aerial view of the new Q House in New Haven.
By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

Amid much celebration and fanfare, officials cut the ceremonial ribbon on the new Dixwell Community House, known as the Q House, in New Haven on Saturday.

The 53,000-square-foot building at 197 Dixwell Ave. incorporates the Stetson Branch of the New Haven Free Public Library, the Dixwell/Newhallville Senior Center and the Cornell Scott Hill Health Center. 

The community can also take advantage of the new building’s fitness center, gymnasium, lounge for teenagers, computer room, recording studio, dance studio, art classroom and  museum.

Kenneth Boroson, of New Haven-based Kenneth Boroson Architects, was involved in designing the new building.

“My hope is that the new Q house will once again be a center for neighborhood life – a place for learning, socializing and creativity,” Boroson said. “I also hope the new building provides a sense of pride for the community.”

Cutting the ribbon on the new Q House in New Haven on Nov. 6, 2021. Courtesy photo.

The Q House’s history dates back nearly a century, as it was first established as a private community center in 1924. After decades of serving as a community gathering place, it closed in 2003 due to inadequate funding.

The city of New Haven now owns the property. In 2014, officials picked Kenneth Boroson Architects and Zared Enterprises to design the new Q House. According to Boroson’s firm, the old building on the site had mold and code-compliance issues, and officials ultimately determined that a new building would be more cost-efficient than renovations.

The state awarded $14.5 million for construction of the new building in 2016, and work began in 2018. Boroson and Zared Enterprises’ principal, the late Regina Winters, incorporated aspects of Africa, such as patterns, textures and colors, into the building’s design. African tribal symbols were sculpted into the entrance pilasters on three facades.

Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.

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