Dear Friends:
The Legislative Committee of the Board of Aldermen have changed the date for the second hearing on the proposed School of Organization and Management. It will be held:
New Haven Board of Aldermen
Legislative Committee
Public Hearing re:
Design and Zone change for a Planned Development District for
Yale’s new School of Organization and Management, 155-175 Whitney Avenue
February 11, 2010
6 PM
Aldermanic Chambers, City Hall, 165 Church Street
* Although the University has reduced the length of the building’s face on Whitney Avenue, it is still a mammoth building:
- half as long as the New Haven Green
- its entire street face is as as tall as the Peabody Museum’s tower, at 65 ft, as tall as a six story building
- the facade facing Bradley street is 85 ft tall – as high as an eight story building
- the experience of the building’s giant size is made even more emphatic by the scale and texture of its materials: ground to roof glass walls, blue metal silos, and roof overhang
* The plan will destroy valuable historic buildings along a coherent and beautiful urban place, while not fixing deficient circulation patterns:
- the plan’s pedestrian and bike route on the north side of the building is narrow, and dangerous where it requires trucks, walkers and bikes to share the same narrow driveway
- the plan includes a drop-off driveway on Whitney Avenue, in addition to its main driveway, which creates hazards for people walking, biking and driving on Whitney Avenue
* The plan fails to comply with the standards for a Planned Development DIstrict, which must, be “So designed in its space allocation, orientation, texture, materials, landscaping,and other features as to produce an environment … complimenting the design and values of the surrounding neighborhood.”
PLEASE COME AND BRING ALL YOUR FRIENDS!
We do not oppose SOM’s expansion, we wish to see a better project that will protect and enhance this vital part of the city.
If you can not attend the hearing, please write to:
Alderman Roland Lemar, Chairman
Legislative Committee
New Haven Board of Aldermen
165 Church Street
New Haven, CT 06510
rjlemar@yahoo.com
Copy to the Legislative Committee Staff:
And to us:
New Haven Urban Design League
129 Church Street Suite 419
New Haven, CT 06510
203 624 0175 t
urbandesignleague@att.net
AND YOU CAN SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION: