This issue was opened

i'm excited for the opportunity to be able to walk to the grocer from my work on my way home from the office

this location would be SO convenient. i would reguarly stop there during commutes as well.

it would reduce the number of trips residents need to take with their cars dramatically. and it would help connect downtown to wooster sq, and add to foot traffic near the train stations...

i am really hopeful about this prospect!

Absolutely!
It would be such a disappointment if 360 State failed to bring in a grocer.

What about Limon?

A grocer would do well here. Many people would do their shopping at it before returning home after work each day. There are something like 30,000 office workers and residents within a few blocks, which is more than enough to support a mid-sized, quality grocery like Limon, Nica's II, or Trader Joe's.

Please bring a grocer downtown!

Here's a photo of the building

I live in Wooster Square and don't own a car. Every couple of weeks I rent a Zipcar and stock up on groceries, but if there was a grocery store at 360 State it would be my exclusive shopping location!

i'd love to see something like the indoor farmer's market in portland, maine, or something like philly's reading terminal market: a collection of vendors, grocers, and specialty stores that is affordable and immediately accessible to anyone who lives or works downtown. but i'm not sure if it would work, or if it would address the concerns of the "food desert" that downtown new haven is. i'd be excited for anything there, i suppose, and i'd definitely prefer it be a local business, rather than trader joe's (which i've never liked; i can cut my own vegetables, thank you) or whole foods, considering how many good grocers we have in town.

Would Feraros ever do something in this location?

The frustrating thing about Ferraros are their hours. They close at 6pm, are closed on Sundays and as a result are a madhouse on Saturdays. I would hope that any grocery store have extensive hours, 24/7 ideally. I believe that is by choice rather than from any economic decision..

My biggest wish for that location is that it be full-service, (fresh meat, fish, vegetables etc.) rather than a specialty grocer with limited selection. I wonder what is holding grocers back on this. They would be pretty much getting a lock on this market.

I can't believe that with more encouragement Trader Joe's could be induced to come to downtown New Haven. Is parking the main problem? Perhaps the 360 State developers could arrange to provide enough for their needs. And they would get a lot of foot traffic. There's no question in my mind that Trader Joe's would do well here. I know I'd shop there just about daily.

The Downtown-Wooster Square Community Management Team will be hosting a forum/conversation on this issue for their October meeting (10/20/09, 6pm, city hall).

http://groups.google.com/group/dwscmt

A decision has to be made first as to the kind of grocery it would be. Specialty or practical, meeting the needs of the workers and foot traffic in the area.

Yale Daily News is reporting that there is a grocer in current negotiations. It's not Whole Foods, and it's not Trader Joes.
http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/city-news/2009/09/16/grocery-store-come-downtown-area/

The irony of the article is that these two companies with "progressive" credentials weren't interested in the site due to lack of parking. Trader Joes actually wanted a surface lot!

Thanks. I am exited about Becker and becker,s new store and will do all my shopping there even though I don't livf in the neighborhood.

yes, when i read the article this morning i thought it was remarkably shortsighted of those two companies to disregard such heavy foot and bike traffic, or people parked elsewhere while downtown already, or people taking the train or bus...

I want Trader Joe's!!!

I am really excited about having a grocery store at 360 State Street, as I would do most of my shopping there. I walk or bike into the downtown area almost every day.

Trader Joe's has built urban locations in other cities w/out surface parking. Perhaps the garage connected to the new building could rent some spaces to TJ shoppers? TJ's would then need to validate parking (which I expect would average between 25-60 min. per car.) Frequent Shopper Parking cards could also be sold...

The location across from the train station, adjacent to Wooster Square and Downtown is ideal. I don't see something that would be open 24/7 - not sure that it's practical. BUT, certainly something "full service", fairly priced, open 7 days a week, maybe from 8am-10pm most days seems as if it should be doable.

It would be great if it were a Trader Joe's - given their commitment to community.

We all have to look carefully at this with the economy in the forefront of our minds. This isn't going to turn around easily - but the number of residents/students/commuters in the area, combined with the appropriate urban transportation (bus/trolley/shuttle/train), along with a commitment from the City to promote it and assist in making it accessible - I don't see how it can fail.

While we're at it - we might consider looking at a number of the "corner stores" in many of the neighborhoods throughout greater NH - not a fresh veg in sight. Has anyone ever considered a fruit/vegetable route?

Despite the demographics (even w/ a good economy) it took years to come up with the right deal for IKEA to come to town...

Hey Kob, I think a large amount of the parking in the new building will be dedicated to shoppers using the grocery store.

If you're concerned about the lack of fresh vegetables in some of New Haven's neighborhoods, you might want to look into volunteering for one of the city committees currently working on that issue.

If you know of any particular corner stores that have poor quality produce, you can post the description and details on SeeClickFix, which would also help engage more people in this issue.

recently on a walk home from downtown i noticed that almost every person who set out cardboard recycling had collected it in trader joe's bags. a HUGE number of new haven residents shop there.

i called their customer service to mention this, and that i don't think that lack of parking should be such a deterrent. i asked if they would reconsider this retail space. the rep seemed receptive and said she'd certainly pass the comments along...

here is the number: 626 599 3700

Thanks I called in and recommended it too.

Maybe instead of trying to directly persuade grocers to come, we should focus on addressing the paucity of private real estate investment in downtown New Haven and its environs. 360 State notwithstanding, virtually all construction in New Haven is being conducted by non-profits such as Yale and the hospital. If enough residences are added downtown, then retailers will naturally move in to serve the market. But big retailers aren't stupid and don't want to take a risk when they have doubts about whether they'll get enough business.

Because so little private development is occurring (aside from a few building renovations and conversions), parking lots are spreading across downtown like a cancer! In just my short time in New Haven, the sites of several demolitions and fires have ALL become parking lots, even in the heart of downtown. It goes without saying that this is disastrous to the urban fabric and economic vitality of the city.

Yale provides a lot of downtown residents in the form of students, but the majority of them eat at dining halls. Downtown needs more non-student residents who will naturally want to do their shopping near home.

The good news is that there is demand for housing downtown. The problem apparently is that new construction costs (including building permits) exceed what can be recovered in the form of condo sales or rents. Not much can be done about the high cost of construction labor in Southern CT. And I doubt that we can persuade the city to lower the mill rate (property tax rate), even though it probably should. But the city should abolish all building permit fees and instead replace them with a temporary tax abatement in the form of waived property taxes for the first 5 years of the building's existence. This is an area where we should lobby heavily. The permit fees buttress city revenues in the short term but kill them in the long term by discouraging badly needed taxable development (particularly residential development).

hi everyone, just a reminder!

The Downtown-Wooster Square Community Management Team will be hosting a forum/conversation on this issue for their October meeting (10/20/09, 6pm, city hall).

http://groups.google.com/group/dwscmt

Update on the grocery store situation: http://downtownnewhaven.blogspot.com/2008/04/500-unit-shartenberg-mixed-use.html

A potential grocer that should be contacted is The Fresh Market (http://www.thefreshmarket.com). It recently opened a location in Westport, CT in building previously occupied by a Shaw's supermarket. It is similar to a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, but more reasonably priced. Westport is the only Connecticut location of The Fresh Market, so they may be more receptive to expanding into the New Haven area.

New Seasons from Portland is another option if they'd come east. http://www.newseasonsmarket.com/ There was a wonderful article on NPR about how they are healthy, affordable and also have traditional grocery items (soda, chips, etc) unlike many grocers, like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. I also like Wegmans. I've been to the one in Ithaca and it is fabulous.

360 State is on the verge of signing a lease with a grocer already, as has been reported here:

http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/city-news/2009/09/16/grocery-store-come-downtown-area/

They are in the advanced stage of negotiations, and look to be open the same time the building is open, next summer. It's a going to be a national retailer trying a new "urban market" concept out in New Haven. This will be the first of such stores.

Hopefully in a few weeks the announcement will be made as to who it is!

If there's no decision yet on a grocery store, they should check on Bishop's Orchards store in Guilford. For a small store about the size appropriate for 360 State, with some additions it may fit the need. Of course they may not be interested.

Any news on who it is?

The Financial Times reports today that the grocer has pulled out. Is this true?
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/0dbad50a-0621-11df-8c97-00144feabdc0.html

While it's somewhat flattering article there are some inaccuracies.

I don't think that 360 State was ever going to house condominiums (the article might be confusing this with the stalled Landino Centerplan condo project). Considering this, I doubt that they have any new information regarding the grocery, which to the best of my knowledge is still under negotition.

If it's not this grocer, then the hunt would be on for another one, as I believe that Becker and Becker are on the hook for a financial penalty if they fail to secure one.

Finally, the lower picture is definitely not of a new house! That's a small recently renovated home on Edgewood that dates from the 1840's :)