PHOTO | NEW HAVEN BIZ
Developers involved in the planned redevelopment of the former New Haven Coliseum site include Greg Fieber, Clayton Fowler and Frank Caico.
October 28, 2022
Construction to begin at ex-Coliseum site: Residential, retail and lab space on tap
IMAGE | CONTRIBUTED
An artist rendering of future development at the former Coliseum site in New Haven.
By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
The long-awaited redevelopment of the vacant former site of the New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum is about to begin, with a groundbreaking event to kick off construction of the first phase slated for Nov. 10.
The first phase, Phase 1A, involves the construction of 200 new residential units and approximately 16,000 square feet of retail space. It will feature more than 25,000 square feet of public open space and a plaza along a “retail laneway.”
On Friday, Mayor Justin Elicker announced that the city on Oct. 27 finalized its conveyance of Phase 1 of the former coliseum site, at 275 South Orange Street, to LWLP New Haven LLC, a consortium of Norwalk-based developer Spinnaker Real Estate Partners, New Canaan-based architect and general contractor the Fieber Group, and Montreal-based real estate developer KDP.
Elicker said the transfer of the former Coliseum site marks a “major milestone.”
“The redevelopment of the Coliseum site will provide an assortment of new commercial, residential, office, and educational spaces that will enable new local economic growth, create new jobs, unlock new business opportunities, and provide new market and affordable housing options for New Haven residents,” Elicker said, in the announcement.
This first phase involves 3.5-acres, which will be developed in three sub-phases into new housing, public amenities and a medical lab office building, according to the city.
Of the 200 residential units, the developer will set aside 20 for households that are at 50% to 60% of the area median income (AMI) and 20 units for households at 61% to 100% of AMI.
Clay Fowler, founding partner of Spinnaker Real Estate Partners and a principal of LWLP New Haven LLC, said he is excited to be moving forward and getting shovels in the ground.
“We are thrilled at last to be moving forward with construction on this site, and to be a partner in a project that is transforming New Haven,” Fowler said.
The city demolished the former coliseum in 2007, and it has been used for public parking in recent years. It is considered a key part of the city’s Downtown Crossing redevelopment project.
Looking ahead
The next phase, Phase 1B, will include a new 650-space parking garage and an additional 75 to 100 apartments, 20% of which will be affordable units.
Phase 1C will involve the construction of a 200,000-plus-square-foot medical laboratory building with a ground-floor restaurant. Ancora L&G, based in Durham, North Carolina, will carry out the development of Phase 1C. Pelli Clarke & Partners, an architectural firm based in New Haven, will be the designer.
Josh Parker, CEO of Ancora L&G, said it looks forward to delivering a “landmark” building, which will advance research, academic collaboration, and “continued growth for the region’s early stage and mature life sciences companies.”
Ginny Kozlowski, CEO of New Haven Economic Development Corp., said the building planned by Ancora L&G will further establish New Haven as a regional biotechnology hub.
RENDERING | COURTESY NHCOLISEUM.COM
LWLP New Haven LLC has secured $50 million in debt financing from Webster Bank. Coupled with private equity from MSquared, the financing enables construction of the $76 million Phase 1A investment to move forward, according to a press release.
Once Phase 1C is finished, two additional development sites along State Street, also part of the ex-Coliseum acreage, will remain. These sites, which total about 1 acre, will be reserved as Phase 2, and leased to LWLP New Haven LLC for interim uses until it is ready to develop them.
While the Phase 1A price tag is $76 million, the exact cost of subsequent phases has yet to be determined, officials said. Phase 1A is expected to be finished by 2025, and Phases 1B and 1C by 2027.
The city has tentatively scheduled a community meeting on the project for Nov. 17. The City Plan Commission will begin its formal review of Phase 1B and Phase 1C plans at a date to be announced.
Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.
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