Descrição
Formerly a dry cleaning business, the building is in extremely unsafe condition: leaking roof, broken windows, rotting floor, rear door unsecured. There is old dry cleaning equipment, probably dry cleaning chemical contamination and waste, asbestos from a rusting boiler, and the building's foundation is rotten and open to the elements creating a rodent problem and allowing rainwater to enter and possibly contaminate groundwater and the surrounding soil with pollutants.
63 Comentários
LCI Watcher (Visitante)
LCI has contacted the owner (Joan) about cleaning up this property and boarding it up.
The owners also stated that they plan to speak with the City Plan Department about a future reuse of the property.
If you would like to speak with LCI's Neighborhood Specilaist Thelma Ragsdale please call her at (203) 946-7733.
Justin Elicker (Visitante)
I live a few houses down from this building and have had an eye on it. I'll stop by and talk with the landlord who lives next door to get more info. Thanks for pointing it out.
- Justin Elicker
np (Visitante)
np (Visitante)
here is a link to the Dry Cleaning Establishment Remediation Fund - Fact Sheet, from the Connecticut Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development.
fact sheet
To apply for a remediation grant call:
Program Manager, Chet Camarata at (860) 270-8140 or email at chet.camarata@ct.gov
mitchell (Visitante)
Eva (Visitante)
Lani (Visitante)
Chris (Visitante)
Rafael Ramos (Visitante)
Thanks
Justin Elicker (Visitante)
I spoke with the landlord yesterday. There are several issues with the building, of which many have been pointed out by the folks responding above. The building and the house next door were for sale a couple of years ago and nobody purchased them. Here are some of the issues:
1. Environmental Hazard: It's costly to do an environmental assessment on the property to determine how much cleanup would be necessary. Without knowing how much environmental cleanup exists however, understandably nobody would want to purchase the site.
2. Zoning: since the building is in an RM2 zone, (ie. residential) there are many restrictions on how the building can be used. Basically, it's restricted to a corner store, hair stylist, news stand, and other neighborhood uses which do not include restaurant, retail or even a cafe. Getting those uses would require a variance which can also be risky for a potential buyer, but is possible.
There are a number of folks in the neighborhood who have looked into the property in the past. The owner seemed like she was amenable to selling the property. However, in the meantime it seems that boarding up the property would create an even less attractive building than what exists now. Ideally, someone would purchase the building and make it into something the neighborhood could use. If or when that does happen, it's important that the neighborhood push for passage of the variance if it's intended use aligns with what the neighborhood wants.
Justin Elicker
www.elicker2009.com
Nate (Visitante)
Thank you for this very useful background information Justin. I have been thinking for a while that a bookstore in our neighborhood would have real potential. My guess is that would not need a variance. If we could press for a variance so it could ALSO be a cafe, that sounds VERY exciting.
Are there concrete numbers available for someone who might be interested in developing a business plan around this?
What about the idea of FERP owning a bookstore-cafe-neighborhood space as a coop???
Justin Elicker (Visitante)
The owner couldn't remember how much they had the property on the market for. She said she'd talk with her sister. I imagine with LCI contacting them, there will be some action with the building in the next week or two. I'll let you know if I hear anything. A bookstore should count as retail and therefore would likely not be permitted according current zoning, but could be given a variance, particularly considering the fact that the building has been dilapidated for quite some time. I'd definitely be excited about the idea.
Justin Elicker
www.elicker2009.com
Eva (Visitante)
tim (Visitante)
mitchell (Visitante)
Anonymous (Visitante)
np (Visitante)
np (Visitante)
Anonymous (Visitante)
Anonymous (Visitante)
If this site takes off outside of East Rock, it could turn all of New Haven into Stasiland. Under the seemingly benign but in fact insidious notion of civic participation, the site is training busy-bodies to spy and report on their neighbors. I am afraid my neighbor's pursuit of "civic points" might land me in jail.
I wouldn't complain, though, if the former dry cleaner were turned into DDR-themed Eck-Kneipe.
Mata Hari (Visitante)
LRG (Visitante)
I was told by the people working on the site that the owners are going to turn it into a tailor shop. They were fixing the roof and cleaning the inside.
I'll be interested to see if this really happens.
Fechado Anonymous (Visitante)
Chris (Visitante)
The tarp covering the roof of this building has partially blown off and is fapping all over the place. If there's a way to get in touch w/ the landlord it would be nice to have that re-secured.
thanks
Reopened Chris (Visitante)
In no way is this issue "closed." Building is still abandoned, the roof is only covered in tarps and it's still an eyesore.
And the rest of Willow is not slummy, it's actually very nice, aside from that decrepit, abandoned dry cleaner.
Anonymous (Visitante)
FairHavenRes (Visitante)
Anonymous (Visitante)
owner: Joan Hillo
Current Assessed Value: $155,330
Grade: Below Average
Building Use: STORE/SHOP MDL-94
Anonymous (Visitante)
Anonymous (Visitante)
According to the Owner, her brother lives next door and he will be over there to deal with the tarp.
There is no immediate solution for this property in terms of its reuse. Because it was a dry cleaner...there may be issues, but the testing costs a lot of $, which the current owners do not have available.
Justin Elicker (Visitante)
I spoke with the owner about two months ago and they were looking at renting the location to a tailor. I don't think that went through. As folks have said above, the location has potential environmental cleanup issues. If the site is used for a similar use however, I believe they don't need do an environmental cleanup. Hence their thought of a tailor.
Nevertheless, LCI is right that there is no short-term solution for the property. I live two houses over and will ask the brother next time I see him for an update on the property. There has been more activity in the last month - they've cleaned out some of the inside - so they may have plans.
Justin Elicker
Ward 10 Alderman
203-500-2969
Me (Visitante)
city is broke (Visitante)
Maybe tear the building down and pave the lot for off street parking to generate some income to pay for the back taxes due?
Current Year Taxes Billed 2008
Billed taxes: $3,618.10
Current and Back Tax Principle Due: $942.83
Total Interest, Penalties, and Collections Fees: $13.78
Total Amount Due: $956.61
LRG (Visitante)
lrg (Visitante)
Reopened Chris G (Visitante)
Justin Elicker (Visitante)
Hi Chris,
I've contacted LCI about this and asked them to inspect the property. You can also call them directly 946-8562, but they should come inspect the property soon. The situation is frustrating and I'm sorry you have to deal with this.
Justin Elicker
Ward 10 Alderman
justin.elicker@gmail.com
Flanksteaks (Visitante)
Mr Ray (Utilizador Registado)
Chris (Visitante)
You don't have to live next door to it Flanksteaks. I'm sure you would not be pleased with the huge amount of trash that has blown off that roof into our back yard & garden. Also, working class guy here, don't go to or teach at Yale and seriously, an abandoned, contaminated building is not a remnant of "the old days." It's an eyesore, a hazard and completely disgusting. If you love it so much, how about you sleep there tonight?
Mr. Ray, not looking for Yale Disney World, just don't want a piece of crap building that adds nothing to the neighborhood polluting my yard.
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Utilizador Registado)
eye sore (Visitante)
chiefguy99 (Utilizador Registado)
Chris (Visitante)
Lani (Utilizador Registado)
Justin Elicker (Utilizador Registado)
Hi Lani,
Yes, you are right. This building has been problematic for quite some time. I just reached out to LCI. We should have taken this on a while back and I'm sorry about that. I think at a minimum we can address the raccoon problem. Since it is private property and the owner has not yet sold it, there are limits to what the City can do. I'll be in touch.
Justin Elicker
Ward 10 Alderman
justin.elicker@gmail.com
Justin Elicker (Utilizador Registado)
I contacted LCI and they will be starting the anti-blight process asap. They will have a Marshall deliver a letter to the owner requiring the owner to address the issues associated with the building. I'll let you know as things progress.
Justin Elicker
Ward 10 Alderman
justin.elicker@gmail.com
Lani (Utilizador Registado)
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Utilizador Registado)
Justin Elicker (Utilizador Registado)
LCI is in contact with the property owner who is working to potentially sell the property. I will keep you updated.
Justin Elicker
Ward 10 Alderman
justin.elicker@gmail.com
Chris G. (Visitante)
From what I understand they have been trying to sell it for years and years, but that the environmental cleanup from a used dry cleaners makes it an unappealing / extremely expensive purchase. The owners should just demolish the building and pave the property to make it parking for the neighborhood. They could sell spots and recoup their costs of demolition. I highly doubt anyone will buy that place because you'd have to spend so much to clean it and then what? A bookstore? A cafe?
In the meantime they owners need to be pressed to seal off the building completely (not just put tarps on the roof), board up the broken window and fans in the back area where the raccoons enter and leave, and also seal up the gigantic hole in that leads under the floor where the raccoons live. They won't be able to sell it, but they must be forced to deal with the vermin they are letting live there.
But I doubt New Haven will actually do anything about it. We've been complaining for years and nothing changes. Not your fault Justin, I appreciate the effort, I'm just skeptical after seeing nothing done for so long.
They should be taxed to the hilt for letting that place remain like that. There's just no incentive for the owners to do a damn thing about it.
Chris G. (Visitante)
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Utilizador Registado)
Justin Elicker (Utilizador Registado)
LCI said they reached out to the owner and they had addressed the raccoon problem. Chris G. can you give us an update on the raccoon status? Was the hole closed? Any evidence they are still there?
The property owner does not have much more time to move on the property and LCI does not plan on extending the time period before implementing anti-blight action. We will keep on this.
Justin Elicker
Ward 10 Alderman
justin.elicker@gmail.com
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Utilizador Registado)
Lani (Visitante)
BenG (Utilizador Registado)
BillyR (Utilizador Registado)
City of New Haven (Oficial Verificado)
Lani (Utilizador Registado)
LCI Citywide Helper (Oficial Verificado)
The owners are working with a developer who would like to develop housing at this site. Keep an eye on the Board of Zoning Appeals agenda this address should be on an agenda in the near future:
http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/CityPlan/SchedulesBZA.asp
Fechado Disabled Account (Oficial Verificado)
Anonymous (Visitante)