Tighe Bond
If you’ve ever been late to dinner on State Street because you couldn’t find a place to park, the search will soon get easier.
That’s because the City Plan Commission Wednesday night approved a site plan that will allow the New Haven Parking Authority to create a 75-space parking lot on a vacant parcel of land at State and Trumbull streets near the I‑91 North ramp.
The 1.12 acres of land, which is excess highway right-of-way owned by the state Department of Transportation (ConnDOT), has for years has been used for staging construction projects.The city plans to strike a lease agreement with the state and turn the lot, which right now is just grass and trees, into a parking lot, across from Goodfellas restaurant.
Markeshia Ricks Photo
Chris Granatini (pictured), transportation engineer and project manager for Tighe & Bond, said that the city is looking to enter into an initial five-year lease, with automatic renewal, with ConnDOT.
He told commissioners that the parking lot won’t be just your average parking lot, but a “sustainable, green parking lot.” That means not only is the wooded embankment that exists going to stay, but developers will use green infrastructure to manage stormwater runoff. The lot also will feature two spaces for electric cars, where they can charge for free, and an eight-by-eight concrete pad for bikes.
Granatini said the design of the lot includes a sizable bio-retention swale and a rain garden. That is all music to City Engineer Giovanni Zinn’s ears.
Zinn has been talking up bioswales as the city makes investments in green infrastructure. He gave the developers kudos for its plans for handling stormwater. “I think it is fantastic the way you’re handling the stormwater,” he said.
Zinn did have a tip. He said it came from his talks with the city’s transit chief, Doug Hausladen. People will have to walk up to a kiosk to pay for their parking; Zinn suggested that developers consider placing the kiosks in such a manner that they drive people to use crosswalks. Hausladen and Zinn often tag-team efforts in the city aimed at making the it more pedestrian and bike friendly.
Jim Staniewicz, director of planing and engineering for the parking authority, said that in addition to providing parking the lot will be used by neighborhood groups and for parking during snow storms.
Granatini said that the city is looking to sign a lease with ConnDOT by September, and construction should be completed by the end of November. City Plan Executive Director Karyn Gilvarg said in the meantime having the city give the lot an address would be helpful in allowing it to show up as one of its assets.