The quest to find a permanent home for the city’s fast-rising science high school is set to move to court this week.
Lawyers plan to file suit in Superior Court kicking off eminent domain proceedings to make way for a new $67 million Engineering and Science University Magnet School (ESUMS), according to Bob Lynn, who oversees New Haven school construction for Gilbane Building Company.
The school, which is part of the New Haven school system, is being built across town lines in West Haven in conjunction with the City of West Haven and the University of New Haven.
The city failed to come to an agreement on four of 24 properties it need for the site, which sits at the border of UNH (in the shaded box on the map). According to a deal hatched in August, West Haven plans to seize four properties through eminent domain, then turn them over to the University of New Haven, to be used for the school.
Involved in the eminent domain case are one residential home at 34 Rockview St., owned by a Brooklyn woman who is underwater on her mortgage; and three properties at 23 Daytona St. and 506 and 516 Orange Ave., all owned by Radio Communications Corporation. The owner asked over $2 million for the properties — far beyond the appraised value of around $300,000, according to the city’s attorney, Timonthy Yolen.
New Haven will submit a check to court for $480,000 to pay for the four properties, about $250,000 of which is for the home, according to Lynn. The final sale price will be up to a judge, based on the higher value of two appraisals.
Previous stories on ESUMS:
• Government To Seize Land For Science School
• Science School Bargaining Begins
• City Strikes Deal For ESUMS Land
• After Parents Fight Move, ESUMS Stays Put
• Parents Oppose School’s Move
• Science Magnet School Relocates Again
• City Looks West For New School Site
• After Layoffs, Schools Reshuffle
• A Rush To Dig
• A New Star School; Warnings About Others
• Science High’s Ready, With An Arabic Twist