New Haven Bigelow site eyed for new River St. commercial building

Alder Sarah Miller, D-14, wanted to know whether there would be small retail businesses that would encourage interaction with pedestrians, such as the neighborhood people who now walk to Armada.

Capasso said the building will be raised 3 feet to 4 feet from street level to address flooding concerns. He said it would be difficult to incorporate multiple points of egress such as are available at Armada.

“We see a real need in the market in terms of the requests we receive,” Deputy Economic Director Steve Fontana said, for light industrial and commercial space.

Michael Piscitelli, the city’s economic development administrator, said a general briefing on it was made to the River Street business community and the Fair Haven Community Management Team on at least two occasions, but not as detailed as is now available as it seeks a vote from the Development Commission.

Miller would like to have a presentation to the Fair Haven community before there are votes on the project.

The city had a 2017 lease and renovation agreement with Bigelow Square LLC, which is owned by Carmine and Vincenzo Capasso, for work on River Street that included Armada before it sold it the land.

That now will be updated with a new Development and Land Disposition Agreement for 198 River St. with 98-year leases for 194 River St. and 200 River St.

Bigelow Square will pay taxes on the leased properties, as well as the land purchase at 198 River St.

“We are fortunate that we have Bigelow Square to take on these properties. It is really going to make a huge difference in this block,” Helen Rosenberg, an economic development officer, said.

Property on River Street has contaminated soil due to previous industrial uses and is in a flood zone. The city, however, has been able to ameliorate those conditions on several portions with the help of state funds, and a number of businesses have moved in.

The plan is to use a $969,750 state Department of Economic and Community Development grant to remove the soil contaminated by PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) from 198 River St. with $400,000 allocated by the city for clean fill that will raise the site above the base flood level.

Capasso also plans to build a parking lot at 194 River St. for Amada and the anticipated tenants at 198 River St. after the contaminated soil is capped. On 200 River St., his business will use it to store equipment connected to his renovation business.

The city tried for years to save and reuse Bigelow, a massive complex where industrial boilers were constructed in the heyday of New Haven’s manufacturing era, a business that employed hundreds of people.

“I never like to give up,” Rosenberg said, overcoming the roadblocks she has encountered over several decades, tracking down funds before building deterioration presents safety issues.

“I see that over time you can make things work out, maybe not exactly the way you envisioned them, but then it is always, ‘OK, let’s not give up. What can we do next?'” Rosenberg said.

Successful businesses now there, she said, include Capasso Renovation, Armada, Art to Frame, Fair Haven Furniture and Patriot Marine. “We are in partnership with all these businesses,” she said.

Other parcels have been cleaned up and are awaiting developers. Two major projects — one where the New England Brewing Co. had hoped to relocate to the street and a proposal by Jaigantic Studios to build movie studios there  —  fell through.