Ground Broken On 2 Chapel St. Mixed-Use Buildings, 160+ Housing Units

NEW HAVEN, CT — Officials wielding shovels broke ground Thursday at 808 and 848 Chapel St., to make way for two mixed-use residential buildings.

New Haven Economic Development Administrator Michael Piscitelli joined CA Ventures LLC Executive Vice President of Development Brian Brodeur, and other city, civic, and elected officials for a groundbreaking ceremony for two new mixed-use residential buildings at 808 and 848 Chapel St.

The projects are part of a broader effort to further revitalize the prominent 800 block of Chapel Street, which lies between Orange and Church streets, as an emerging retail center just off the New Haven Green.

The two new buildings will incorporate a collection of long vacant parcels, which following a fire, contributed to the previous deterioration of the block within the City’s historic Ninth Square grid.

808 Chapel Street will be situated at the corner of Chapel and Orange streets. The six-story mixed-use residential building will have 46 apartments made up of studio, one, and two-bedroom units as well as retail space on the ground floor. The building incorporates three parcels of land that, in addition to 808 Chapel St., include 812 Chapel St. and 108 Orange St.

Plans for 848 Chapel St. call for a seven-story mixed-use building with 120 apartments, two levels of interior parking, residential amenities, and street level retail space. The project combines two adjacent parcels, 842 and 848 Chapel St. The two lots and an empty commercial building on the south side of Chapel between Church and Orange streets were once home to a Kresge department store, which burned down in 2007. The 842 – 848 Chapel Street lots were vacant prior to the start of construction earlier this year.

The project was designed by a local team headed by Ken Boroson Architects of New Haven. Boroson worked closely with city staff and at community meetings to achieve a high-quality, context-sensitive design on infill parcels with multiple street frontages.

The project site was previously owned in part by the City of New Haven and in part by a private owner. The Development and Land Disposition Agreements enabled the current project to move forward in part by combining the two sites for greater density and overall financial feasibility. The combined purchase price for the City-owned parcels was $1,057,500, which was distributed as follows: $100,000 to a new affordable housing fund administered by the Affordable Housing Commission; $400,000 to streetscape and infrastructure improvements; and the remaining balance to the City’s general fund for municipal operations.

During construction, Chapel Street between Church and Orange streets will remain closed to eastbound vehicular traffic. The closure will extend approximately 16 months. Eastbound vehicular traffic will be detoured to Elm Street. Westbound traffic will be maintained. There will be no change to public bus routes. The sidewalk on the south side of Chapel Street is also be closed, with pedestrians detoured to the sidewalk on the north side.