New Haven Independent

Along with winning neighbors’ approval, the Pequonnock Yacht Club received a key go-ahead from a city board.

Despite previously rejecting a proposal from the Bridgeport-based Pequonnock Yacht Club, the New Haven Historic District Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday night to approve the club’s new designs for the conversion of a historic City Point building into its new clubhouse.

Concerned City Point neighbors, who had also previously objected to the yacht club’s plans, were relieved to find that architectural designs have changed dramatically since the previous submission. Former yacht club opponents — like Kris Sainsbury (at center in photo) — applauded the new proposal, which reduced the size of a planned addition that threatened to dwarf the historic South Water Street oyster shack (pictured) that is to be renovated.

After the meeting, however, City Point residents said that several important questions remain about the yacht club’s plans for parking and public access and the impact they will have on the neighborhood and a local restaurant.

Wednesday night’s approval by the Historic District Commission was the latest chapter in a story that has unfolded for nearly two months, since the club’s plan first gained the approval of the City Plan Commission. Neighbors feared that the yacht club’s renovations would destroy a cherished historical building and alter the character of the neighborhood. See background stories here, here, and here.

The next step for the yacht club is to draw up more detailed architectural plans so that a building permit can be obtained. It’s not yet decided if the club will begin construction this fall or wait until next spring to begin the project, which is anticipated to cost around $600,000.

Latest Addition Edition Accepted

After handing out drawings of the latest design, Pequonnock Yacht Club architect Jim Tuttle (at left in photo) began his presentation to the commission by outlining all of the improvements to the plans since the last submission. The two biggest changes since the previous iteration, Tuttle explained, were the reduction of the “massing” of the addition, and a reconfiguration of the back patio.

The addition’s roof line was lowered, a roof deck was eliminated, and the transition between the existing historic structure and the new construction was altered. These changes “helped make the historic building stand on its own a little bit,” Tuttle explained.

In the back, a proposed patio was lowered to ground level, its dimensions were changed, and a railing was eliminated.

These revisions were made based on the comments of the commissioners during a “special meeting” last week, yacht club representative John Venditti explained later.

Following the architect’s presentation, City Point Alderwoman Dolores Colon (at right in photo) asked for a five-minute recess to peruse the plans, since the public had not had access to them prior to the meeting. After a brief “caucus” in the hallway outside the meeting room in City Hall, three key individuals appeared before the commission to give their verdict on the latest design.

“This is a vast, vast improvement over the original,” said Anstress Farwell, head of the New Haven Urban Design League, which played a lead role in organizing neighborhood opposition to the previous yacht club plans. Nodding in agreement alongside Farwell were City Point residents Lucian Addorio and Kris Sainsbury, who had both been vocal critics of the prior proposal.

In contrast to the old plans (pictured), the new plans (pictured below) address the “importance of clearly separating between the historic building and new addition,” Farwell said. The new, smaller addition will allow the historic building to “stand on its own,” she went on, unlike in the last proposal, where the addition “really engulfed the building totally.”

“We agree that that issue has been taken care of in this design,” she said. Farwell also had words of approval for the redesigned backside of the building.

With two minor suggestions regarding chimney placement and roof design — and with the agreement of Addorio and Sainsbury — Farwell expressed her acceptance of the plans. Two other neighbors spoke in approval of the proposal.

“I think this is a fabulous plan,” Historic District Commission Chair Eric O’Brien told John Venditti. “It’s great for the neighborhood to see that you are being a good neighbor.”

The board voted unanimously to approve the designs with several minor stipulations, including chimney placement, choice of window type, and spindle-spacing.

“I’m feeling good,” said Pequonnock Yacht Club representative John Venditti, after the meeting. “It’s been a long process.”

As he left the meeting room, Addorio shook Venditti’s hand and admonished him that the process would have been an easier one if the yacht club had been more communicative with the neighborhood.

“We did communicate with the neighborhood,” Venditti said later. “Unfortunately, you can’t communicate with every individual… Anytime they’ve asked for a meeting we’ve been receptive.”

Club Concerns Remain

While City Point neighbors expressed their relief that the yacht club had scaled back its construction plans, they also said they have ongoing questions about other aspects of the club’s move from Bridgeport to South Water Street, including questions about parking and public access. Neighbors are particularly concerned about the club’s impact on Sage Restaurant, which currently leases parking spaces from the club, per a longstanding agreement with the previous owner of what is now the club’s property.

“They still have us at a disadvantage,” said Addorio. “They’re just not coming forward with anything” in response to concerns about parking.

Addorio said that the neighborhood will hold further discussions about how to work with the club to ensure that the concerns of local residents are addressed.

“We always wanted them in the neighborhood,” he said. “They’re a good fit, if they pay attention to historical considerations and the considerations of the neighborhood.”

Commission Hears Process Complaints

Staying until the end of the meeting to address the commissioners a second time, Anstress Farwell (at left in photo) and her City Point allies brought up a bone of contention with the commission. Joining them was Alderwoman Colon.

Their gripe: Why weren’t they told of last Monday’s “special meeting” between the commission and the yacht club?

“I would like to be notified,” said Colon. She acknowledged that while the meeting may have been filed on Friday, July 31, at the town clerk’s office, “I don’t really hang out there.”

“Posting it in the town clerk’s office is inadequate,” said Farwell. It might meet the “minimum level” of public notice obligation, but that’s not enough, she said.

Farwell said that while it is not appropriate for the commissioners to reach out personally to advertise meetings, they could institute a policy that would facilitate better public notification. She encouraged the commission to call for an “enhanced notification list,” the use of email, and better website updating.

Lack of such measures permitted the yacht club to refrain from engaging in public dialogue, Addario (at center in photo) argued. “They were smart enough to use the gaps to their advantage and keep us at bay,” he said. “The framework is still there for not enough information… they had an opportunity to keep us in the dark.”

The commissioners acknowledged the complaints.