This building has a history — and a future, if the state comes through with promised money. Read on to see why Allan Appel’s hoping it does.
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“These are not just ordinary buildings,” Rosenberg (pictured) said. “Arguably the Bigelow Boiler complex constitutes the most historically significant group of industrial buildings left in New Haven. We really need the money from the state to acquire and stabilize them.” The buildings, which run along the south side of River Street roughly from Lloyd west to just one lot before James Street, are the historic home of the 19th century Bigelow Boiler works, the pioneering technology company that helped make New Haven, in the late 19th century, one of the capitals of industrial innovation. As interestingly, before that, the complex was the site of the administration building of Camp Terry, a compound of some nine barracks structures built to house and train Connecticut Civil War units. The troops, including Connecticut’s two “colored” regiments, the 29th and 30th, drilled in what is now Criscuolo Park, at the western end of the complex, between James Street and the Mill River, from where they eventually shipped out. (Apparently Gov. Buckingham of Connecticut was so concerned with possible insurrection from black troops training with actual rifles on the Green, he was pleased to help arrange for the sale of the property —” Yale University owned it —” to the army.) At the end of the Civil War, Homer Bigelow bought the buildings and tore all of them down except the administration building, which he refitted for his boiler factory. All physical evidence of this rich history is at risk of being lost if Helen Rosenberg doesn’t receive her phone call from Hartford, which has been promised “at the end of the week.” In the economic development business, however, “the end of the week” can take months to arrive, but the crunch is on and time is running out, despite recent visits to Hartford by Rosenberg and her team, including Kelly Murphy, the city’s new economic development director. The owner of the Bigelow complex, with whom Rosenberg has been working (and who did not want to comment for this article), wants to sell to the city. However, until the funding comes through, he must pay taxes, and carry liabilities, and resist the temptations of developers. “I understand his anxiety,” Rosenberg said. “I mean part of the roof has failed, anyone driving by on River Street can see the deterioration of the bricks on the fa√ɬßade, and there is also a point where restoration becomes very dicey. The landlord has been very good and patient, but he needs an indication from us that the city has the funds to purchase, and we can’t give that indication without the state stepping up to the plate.” “It’s ironic too,” said Mike Piscitelli of New Haven’s City Plan Department, “that the state hasn’t moved more quickly on this because the project, which calls for real job development, and neighborhood improvement, including the extension of Blatchley Avenue toward the river and a fabulous 50 foot pedestrian walkway along the Quinnipiac River linking Front Street Park, is exactly what they like, and we have made very significant progress thus far.” As City Plan’s website itemizes (ww.cityofnewhaven.com/CityPlan/riverstreet.asp) since 2002, when the Board of Alderman approved the River Street Municipal Development Plan, the City has invested $10.1 million. That has translated into River Street receiving new paving, sidewalks, and trees; the acquisition of 11 properties, the disposition of one of those properties, at 90 River Street, as the future home of the Suraci Metal Finishing company, which will, as a result, add 60 jobs to the area over the next years. “This demonstrates that we not only have a plan here, but we’ve shown we’re executing in all the important ways,” said Rosenberg. “Now we need the state to come through with the 35 percent it has committed, that is, the $8 million bonded, so the project can be completed. The state has been telling us ‘yes’ through letters of interest, and a lot of boiler plate.” Did Rosenberg intend that pun? We don’t know. “What we need to hear now,” she continued, “is a commitment that the first stage of the funding, $2.5 million, will be put on the state’s bonding commission agenda for approval. To my knowledge this hasn’t happened, and the money can’t be provided unless it’s approved for bonding first.” “The way these things work,” added Pisciatelli, “is that when the State’s $2.5 comes through, that triggers our other commitments, such as another $1.5 from the United Stated Economic Development Administration, which will enable us to move forward with further infrastructure improvements, among other projects. Everything is connected.” What makes crunch time particularly crunchy is that Bigelow’s owner has taken out a demolition contract on the buildings. That’s terribly unfortunate, but it at least allows for a 90 day delay period for the State to act. The bad news is, according to Piscatelli, that the delay period ends June 14. “It’s really time,” said Rosenberg. “What more can we do? After two years of telling us “yes,” they really have to make the commitment real.” If the state acts expeditiously, bonding the outstanding $8 million, then the plan of renovation for mixed commercial use, in an historically appropriate manner, can be fully executed, and Bigelow Boiler will be saved. Reached Wednesday morning, the State Office of Economic and Community Development, through its press officer James Watson, said: “We’re in the final stages of review of the city’s plan and budget and expect to contact the city in the next few weeks.” This reporter, incidentally, would love to see the buildings considered, ultimately, as the site for a new school, public or charter, middle school or high, whose theme is the history of New Haven. The students would truly live within the history, and teachers and volunteers (your reporter officially volunteers now) could take the students down River Street to do archeological excavations just beyond right field, in Criscuolo Park, where Civil War soldiers drilled nearly 150 years ago. A city as rich in heritage as New Haven deserves no less. But first things first: So pray for Helen Rosenberg, oh ye citizens of New Haven who love her historic past, or, better yet, write and email the Connecticut State Office of Economic and Community Development.