Grand Opening Of ‘The Hub,’ New West Haven Community Center, Draws Hundreds

Written by Michael P. Walsh

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 23, 2026 — “Welcome to ‘the Hub’!” Mayor Dorinda Borer declared at the highly anticipated opening of the new West Haven Community Center on Thursday morning.

Borer marked the opening of the center at 255 Meloy Road in grand style, complete with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the news media, and an audience of more than 200 corporate sponsors, employees and residents.

Nicknamed the Hub, the West Haven Community Center serves as a centralized home for seniors, youth services and veterans.

Driven by her vision and obtaining state funding, Borer turned the project over to a dynamic team of city employees who led the charge to completely renovate the former Anne V. Molloy Elementary School. The building received extensive infrastructure and technology upgrades to convert it into a state-of-the-art community center.

The multilevel facility is the new home of the West Haven Senior Center and features a floor for youth activities and programs, a veterans suite, rooms for arts and movies, a workout room with new equipment, and a place for the city’s social worker, public health nurse and Police Department to have office hours.

The project, financed with $1.8 million in state grant funding, was overseen by Borer, Human Resources Commissioner John M. Carrano and project coordinator Ernie Chiarelli, both of whom the mayor thanked in her remarks, along with the Community Center Committee, for their “tireless oversight.”

Borer called the former school building “a nonperforming asset sitting empty in the middle of our city draining resources and losing potential” and touted the new center as “a true one-stop shop for our community, particularly our most vulnerable populations.”

“This new center represents a transformative investment in West Haven’s residents, from our young people to our veterans and seniors,” Borer said. “By repurposing Molloy School, we’ve created a vibrant, modern hub that brings essential services, health resources and recreational spaces together under one roof.”

“I also want to express my deepest gratitude to our ‘Room Champions,’” the mayor said. “Because of your generous corporate sponsorships, we’ve been able to outfit this facility with world-class amenities.”

The main level’s community room features a stage with a 15-foot movie screen and is sponsored by Yale New Haven Health, which also invested in the building’s nursing section.

Dr. Katherine Heilpern, the president of Yale New Haven Hospital, was in attendance and said the center “reflects Borer’s incredible vision and represents an important legacy.”

Heilpern was accompanied by Paul Mounds Jr., YNHH’s vice president of community, corporate and government relations, who Borer said shepherded Yale’s investment after touring the facility months ago.

In a statement, acting YNHH CEO Pamela Sutton-Wallace said: “At Yale New Haven Health, we believe improving health and well-being means looking beyond the hospital walls and further investing in the communities we serve. The West Haven Community Center reflects a shared commitment to creating opportunities for residents to access resources, programs and support that can make a meaningful difference in our lives.”

Amenities on the main level include an outdoor patio, an exercise room sponsored by New Haven Bank, and two Comcast-sponsored technology labs for adults and young people that feature six computer workstations.

Rob Earley, Comcast’s vice president of government and community affairs, labeled the project “an amazing, amazing accomplishment.”

Borer said, “This is how we bridge the digital divide, by offering free access and computer classes for all ages.”

The mayor said New Haven Bank, in addition to its financial sponsorship, will host no-cost financial literacy classes at the center.

“We are excited to be a part of this,” Corprew told Borer.

For the arts, the main level offers a creative arts studio sponsored by LTKE Law, a conference hall sponsored by Riva Bar & Restaurant, and a cinema with an 85-inch flat-panel TV, recliners and tables.

Riva co-owner Michael Delvecchio said, “Congratulations to the mayor and her team for bringing such a great project to West Haven.”

Public safety and support spaces are also integrated into the main level, which houses a police meeting room, a social services office and a conference room.

In addition, the main level features a veterans suite sponsored by the University of New Haven. The suite provides veterans with a computer workstation, a pool and ping-pong table, recliners, and a large flat-panel TV.

“A place like the Hub inspires the community,” Frederiksen told Borer. “Congratulations to everyone who participated to bring this vision to life.”

Marine Corps veteran Marty Richards, a member of West Haven Vietnam Veterans, thanked UNH for sponsoring the suite, saying, “It’s a place for us to go now.”

Other sponsors include GHP Media and Westies Care.

The upper level is dedicated to youth programming and the Department of Youth and Family Services. The level features a high-tech gaming center with gaming chairs, 30-inch monitors, five Nintendo Switch consoles, five PlayStation 5 consoles and five Meta Quest 3S virtual reality headsets.

The upper level also includes a youth center with two flat-panel TVs, beanbag chairs, a wellness suite and a gym. Community and enrichment resources on the level include a food pantry and a creative studio for wet and dry arts.

“I’m excited to see how the community center will flourish,” West Haven High School senior Aunjolie Pierre-Louis told Borer.

Senior Jade Stevens added, “We need a safe space to thrive.”

Pierre-Louis and Stevens are members of the school’s Youth Committee and were joined by other members, including junior Sarah Mohammad and sophomores Margarita Buren and Nisanur Saray.

Borer said that while there is a beautiful patio for residents to relax on during the warmer months, Phase 2 includes more outdoor enhancements.

To keep the grand opening celebration going, Borer and other city officials hosted an evening open house for residents to explore the center, meet department staff and learn about upcoming programs.

More than 400 turned out for the open house, which included music, tours, refreshments and demonstrations.

Borer was elated with the turnout for both events, saying, “It demonstrates the interest, excitement and need.”

The center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with expanded hours coming soon.

Pictured: West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer, with city officials, West Haven High School students and corporate sponsors, cuts the ribbon to mark the grand opening of the new West Haven Community Center at 255 Meloy Road on Thursday. Joining Borer are Comcast Vice President of Government and Community Affairs Rob Earley, project coordinator Ernie Chiarelli, LTKE Law managing partner Stephen J. Errante, Human Resources Commissioner John M. Carrano, University of New Haven President Jens Frederiksen, Yale New Haven Hospital President Dr. Katherine Heilpern, New Haven Bank President and CEO Judith Corprew and Borer chief of staff Rick Spreyer. (City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)