Media Clips

New Haven Independent

April 9, 2008

K of C Sale OK’d
By Leonard J. Honeyman
The New Haven Development Commission Tuesday voted to sell a half-acre parcel near the Knights of Columbus property to the Knights for $1.125 million.
The panel also elected Yale School of Management Professor Jonathan Koppell, left in photo, as its new chairman, replacing Peter Wilkinson, right, who had served as interim chair.
The parcel approved Tuesday is bounded by the Knights’ property at George and South Orange Streets and North Frontage Road. The Knights already have an easement for two driveways onto the property, which also houses an underground garage.
The city has given the Knights an informal option on a slightly larger parcel on the George Street side of the block for about two years, Deputy Economic Development Director Tony Bialecki told the panel. There is a city-owned tunnel on part of the property that empties out onto Church Street.
According to Bialecki, the Knights’ first use of the property would be for parking, but he did not rule out some type of small building on the property in the future. He said the small size of the property ruled out anyone else building on it, so a sale to the Knights was the best use.
The property was appraised about a year ago at $45 per square foot, coming to the $1.125 million figure, he said.
The Knights, a worldwide insurance company and fraternal organization based in New Haven, pays the city about $1 million a year in taxes on its iconic tower and other property it owns. The property the commission voted unanimously to sell Tuesday would also go on the tax rolls, Bialecki said.
“The Knights are a good corporate citizen,” Bialecki said. He told Commissioner Kevin Ewing that the Knights could eventually build what they wanted on the property “subject to the usual zoning restrictions.”
The matter now goes to the Redevelopment Authority, which is likely to vote on it at its April 22 meeting. It then goes to Mayor John DeStefano Jr. for his signature.
Outreach Promised
The commission, which has 13 members, counting Downtown Alderwoman Bitsie Clark, was given a choice of two candidates for chairman when Koppell and Wilkinson both announced their candidacies for the job.
In an open vote, Koppell was chosen chairman; Wilkinson was picked as vice-chair. Clark volunteered to serve as secretary and was voted in unanimously.

After the meeting, Koppell said he sought the chair because he thinks the commission should reach out more to the citizens and civic and business organizations in the city and get more involved.
“I want to make it a place for input,” he said. “I want to solicit ideas,” he said.