Alders Approve Union Station Rezoning

I agree, Esbey. Setting clear rules and flood zone protection measures upfront, then letting the private capital evaluate and build, results in the most supply and affordability. Time kills deals, and time results in higher legal and consulting fees.

Why do you want to eliminate all parking downtown? Do you just want to strangle the few remaining businesses that are left? What do you want downtown to be? The renters don't spend enough to sustain downtown and the out of center city will not come if they can't park. I barely go to Wooster St. just because there is no parking. The Wooster Square residents and their parking privileges act like the park is their private domain, rather than a public park for ALL to enjoy. I don't like the way the City idea of downtown is going..... it's like "keep out but pay the taxes to upkeep the areas you are not welcome in"

We don’t have the bus and city train service that Boston, NYC, Chicago have. I wish we did, but we don’t. Until we have a more robust bus system to match those train service systems they have in this big cities, we need some parking.
We do not have land to build more parking lots, nor should we build them. They are a waste of air rights space. And developers are not going to build them, when they can much more profits from housing.
So the city has to require parking for new developments to suit the needs of the neighborhood and the needs of residents in the development.
So we should build small parking garages under the footprint of these new multi unit residential housing developments to suit reduced parking needs for the new residents, so they don’t compete with on street parking in the area, and destroy the businesses and attractions that we have in the city.
We don’t want to live in a giant bedroom community with no shops, entertainment, restaurants and cafes, or anything else to attract people to come into the city. We don’t want people to not come here because there is no way to park their vehicle.
Adding in secure and easily accessed bike storage for businesses and residents helps. Having more protected and dedicated bike lanes around the city to the suburbs helps.
Having developers and the city pressure the state to improve CT Transit bus hours of operation and routes to get people to major employers, shopping centers, attractions and schools helps.
Getting a major chain, full service, brand name carrying grocery store in or near the Downtown/Hill area helps.
And those who are calling for making people pay for parking, they already pay to park for parking garages and lots in a lot of downtown. For these luxury and market rate units, for amount they pay for rent, it should more than make up for a parking spot on the ground floor garage that would have been an empty retail space under previous zoning codes.

I agree. The right development in this area can lift the entire neighborhood and city.

Here's an inspiration from a 'dodgy' part of London that I used to live in:
"Why was Kings Cross regenerated? Before Kings Cross' regeneration there was high crime rates, poverty, low quality housing, little job opportunities, terrible transport facilities and drug and alcohol problems." (https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/d874a163ec674f6f8e40f6eac7f13bad)

I believe the Church St South project is going to be mixed use and mixed income. Which would be perfect fit for the area.

I agree on reduced parking underneath and wrapped inside of mixed use and residential buildings. And that the suburbs need to build more multi families and affordable units. The city can’t do it all on their own, and nobody should have to leave their hometown to find affordable housing. We have a national housing crisis, and a statewide housing crisis, and all municipalities should have some mixed use, mixed income, diverse housing to suit young people just starting out, singles, retirees, disabled, and other diverse housing needs.

I am all for more housing everywhere. I just think the pretty empty and underused lots along state street, right next to downtown, are a great place to start. But couldn't agree more that we need a lot more housing all over all over the city.

I was going to ask the same thing...lol It is sad that the first thing you see walking out of the train station is a wasteland. What an awesome first impression! SMH Nevermind what could be built next to the Train Station... The priority should be the property across from it! I gave up hope on seeing any groundbreaking let alone any plans for the former Church Street South lot in my lifetime.
just venting
PS-Just to know that the Housing Authority owns it makes me nervous.

Exactly my point.
You can reduce parking, but until we have a more robust mass transit bus system, and a major chain, full service grocery store, you can’t eliminate it.
And the businesses and attractions and visitors need parking nearby. And lots of people who don’t work for Yale or YNHH need their vehicles.
And we can’t sell off parks to housing, or build in flood prone zones, unless you plan for escape routes that aren’t going to be underwater and flood mitigation measures.
There’s quality of life issues, walkability and livability and transit issues that need to be considered in a long term plan for the city.
There’s support for the success of businesses and visitors and attractions, festivals, etc in the city.
There’s a lot of zoning that could be overhauled, like land use for dying uses, rebuilding what previously existed and can’t be rebuilt due to setbacks restrictions, height restrictions in the same area where other taller buildings are nearby, and other things that don’t make sense. Parking spaces can be reduced, but it has to take into account the parking needs of that community and nearby businesses and attractions.

What do they do in Europe? They walk and shop every day in nearby stores and shops. NH was like that before bur the city destroyed that model. Like everything, this plan will serve Yale's master plan; not what local residents might need.

"You can’t walk or bike with a bag of groceries on your head"

You're going to love baskets

"You can’t walk or bike with a bag of groceries on your head" — I encourage you to visit the Netherlands if you want to see what can be achieved with a bike. I saw someone transport a massive, single-door refrigerator with a cargo bike there.

Though I do agree with you, this is a problem! Business taxes and rent in mainland Europe (not the UK), and places like Japan are so so much lower. Speciality and niche businesses are able to thrive on relatively minimal levels of income, hours, and the like. There is a lot to learn from these places.

Agreed.
The community, former residents, and residents of the nearby senior housing would like a major chain full service grocery store, a daycare, a senior center, an all ages and abilities gym, a community center, a health clinic, a community garden, cafes and restaurants, retail, a health clinic, services and lifestyles businesses on the first couple of floors, I also think it would also be a great location for adult education.
If you put penthouse luxury units on the top couple of floors, with gorgeous views of the city, the Rocks, and the harbor, and mixed market rate, affordable and deeply affordable units, in-between, you have a mini downtown across the street from the transit center, and walkable to the hospital, medical school, and downtown.

Don't sell your car just yet!

Because if you build luxury penthouse units on the top floors, and a grocery store and other services, retail and lifestyles businesses on the bottom floors, and a healthy mix of market rate, affordable and deeply affordable units in between, with some state and federal funding to offset the 20% affordable units, over the long term, you’ll more than make back your investment.
Plus having that kind of mini city with tremendous walkability and liveability, access from the train station and multimodal center and visible from the highways, raises the property values of the entire city.
It’s a cornerstone to welcoming visitors to our little but growing city.

My suspicion is that the land will be cheaper.

Baby Boomers are looking for the same things that Millenials and Generation Zers are looking for in housing. Walkability, great mass transit, bikeability, attractions, amenities, the arts, lifestyle, fewer household upkeep responsibilities, community, a smaller home and lawn to care for, etc.
Most Millennials and Gen Zers are having zero to two kids, and I know lots of people who raised kids in apartments in cities. Having great parks and playgrounds and community spaces helps.
Most of the people in those above mentioned population groups do not want a large house with a large yard to take care of.
With global warming, denser communities with more shared green spaces and less lawns, more forests is better for the environment.
I don’t think anyone is going to be interested in a 1+ acre lot with a 4+ bedrooms and baths home when there will be only 1-3 people living in it, and everyone is working too many hours to take care of their acres of lawn and clean their large home in their free time.
I predict that with all the colleges and universities expanding, and the hospital system growing, and the numbers of people living alone, the apartments and condos would all be very popular for the foreseeable future for young adults, older adults, and adults in between who have fewer kids or none at all.

I'm happy to provide an example of why residential makes sense here: I would be eager to live in this location & work in New Haven -- and also, my work often involves meetings & business travel in New York, so it would be super convenient if I could walk from my apartment to the train station.

With many people unable to afford to buy a home until their 30’s, according to the latest studies, and infertility rates rising, and people delaying parenthood due to economic reasons, as well as world crisis reasons, far fewer people will be having far fewer children, later in life.
So when those who choose parenthood, finally are able to embark on parenthood, of course they will value it, as it will be something they waited a long time to be able to do.

I agree the focus is on Millenials and Generation Zers and Baby Boomers in the city. That’s because they are the largest population groups, and New Haven is a college town, with multiple colleges and universities in the area, and lots of seniors who moved here in their colleges years and stayed here to raise their families, or moved out to the suburbs to raise families, and then moved back or want to move back, to live in the city as they age in place in a place with mass transit, walkability, amenities, and less maintenance responsibilities for their homes.

As far as a major chain grocery store in the city, I would like to see a mega ShopRite, like the one in Milford across from the Post Mall. It’s got everything anyone could possible want to buy, plus a really nice selection of prepared foods to go and foods prepared to order at various counters. It would be ideal for weekly grocery shopping, picking up a prepared dish to take home for a meal, or grabbing a quick bite to eat.
Their prices are cheaper than Stop & Shop or Big Y, and they carry brand name items as well as store brands and generic brands items.
Aldi’s doesn’t suit all those needs.

Cities serve the people that live in them, not the people that don't.

I totally agree this rezoning is good for our city, I just worry housing will get tripped on the added bureaucratic delay related to the flood stuff. They could have just worked that into the original rezoning plan and not mandated the process have another step.