“Dec. 31. I go with the mayor.”
That’s how city Economic Development Administrator Kelly Murphy Tuesday morning announced her plans to leave city government.
The casual announcement emerged in conversation with the press after she helped to preside over the regular monthly Development Commission at City Hall. Her departure is just one of many top positions expected to change occupants in City Hall in 2014 once Mayor-Elect Toni Harp takes office.
Murphy, who has guided New Haven through a bustling stretch of economic development over the past eight years without the stench of scandal that accompanied development in the early years of the DeStefano administration, did not mean she is literally joining the mayor on the new banking chapter of his life. Murphy did say she, too, is considering taking a job in the private sector.
She is talking to several potential employers both in government and private-sector work, she said. She declined to identify them or to say whether she will remain in New Haven. Meanwhile, she said she is working hard to “wrap up” big projects she has going in New Haven by eyar’s end.
Murphy arrived in New Haven eight years ago. She pronounced herself satisfied with major changes in town that have occurred under her watch as the city’s chief economic development officer.
Paul Bass Photo
She said after those eight years and “three billion dollars of projects” later it was time to move on. Murphy’s accomplishments include shepherding to approval the 360 State apartment tower deal and the community benefits agreement .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) among many other projects. She oversaw development of a new Mill River District Plan. She got Downtown Crossing moving, with the old Route 34 Connector beginning to be filled in and the 100 College Street office tower under construction. She is currently racing to gain approval for the largest-ever downtown development project in city history, on the grave of the old New Haven Coliseum; and preparing plans for a newly developed “Hill-to-Downtown” District.
At Tuesday’s development meeting Kelly led a discussion that ended in the commissioners voting unanimously to pass a resolution that is moving the Coliseum redevelopment project on a fast track towards a final approval vote later this week at the Board of Aldermen.
At the meeting Murphy and Livable City Initiative Director Erik Johnson laid out for commissioners a preview of the Hill-to-Downtown plan, which includes ideas that are “Church Street South-centric,” Johnson said without elaboration. Murphy said officials will spell out the idea more fully for the Development Commission, the city plan commissioners, and the Board of Aldermen next month.
Murphy expressed optimism that the projects she has worked on will maintain their momentum and move forward because they have what she termed lots of community buy-in as well as “intrinsic value.”
Another reason they will move forward and in which she takes satisfaction: “We have a private market that wasn’t here eight years ago.”
She expressed concerns about the ability of developers to develop flood insurance to invest in districts like the Mill River. Murphy also cited staffing concerns at City Hall. When she arrived in town eight years ago, the City Plan staff processed $2 million in building permit fees. Now, at a heightened pace of development, it is processing $9 million a year — with the same staff, Murphy said.
“That’s a challenge for Karyn [Gilvarg, City Plan’s director] and her team,” Murphy said.