New Haven is updating and expanding its development strategy for the Mill River District, an industrial corridor that links Fair Haven, Wooster Square, and East Rock. The City is combining and reimagining the existing Mill River Municipal Development Plan and the River Street Municipal Development Plan into a unified vision that preserves the neighborhood’s industrial base while creating new opportunities for housing, recreation, and equitable growth. 

In 2024, the City received a $5 million state grant to support this effort. The funding will help advance property acquisition, infrastructure upgrades, and housing development, with a strong emphasis on completing the Mill River Trail, improving public access to the waterfront, and connecting the trail network to the Quinnipiac River via new shoreline infrastructure and green public space. 

The vision includes increased housing, expanded public space, and dedicated waterfront infrastructure. Design workshops have engaged community stakeholders and introduced concepts such as “the Alameda” — a pedestrian-oriented street designed to connect future parkland near River Street with inland neighborhoods and the Mill River Trail. 

The Mill River District will continue to serve as a hub for clean light industrial and water-dependent uses, maintaining a foundation for local employment while expanding compatible residential and public uses. This approach reflects New Haven’s commitment to climate-resilient, inclusive development rooted in neighborhood priorities. 

River Street Early Activation 

As part of this broader strategy, the 198 River Street site is being prepared for redevelopment as a commercial/light-industrial building, providing flexible space for small businesses. The City is also finalizing developer selection for 100 and 142 River Street, where future phases are expected to introduce new housing and public access infrastructure along the waterfront. These projects mark the beginning of a new chapter for River Street, combining job creation, mixed-use growth, and shoreline revitalization. 

Winchester Green at Science Park 

Winchester Green at Science Park is a transformative mixed-income housing development rising in New Haven’s Science Park, on the historic site of the former Winchester Repeating Arms factory. Ground broke in March 2024 on this $90 million project, which will deliver a five-story building with 283 apartments — including 20% affordable units — and approximately 12,800 sq. ft. of retail space at 315 Winchester Avenue. 

This development is the latest phase of the broader “Winchester Center” master plan, led by the Science Park Development Corporation. That plan has already delivered 158 renovated apartments and 150,000 sq. ft. of lab and office space in two adjacent historic buildings, and ultimately envisions over 1,000 new apartments, extensive retail and park space, and up to 500,000 sq. ft. of laboratories across the former factory campus. 

By transforming what was once a hub of firearms manufacturing into a center for 21st-century living and innovation, the Winchester Center initiative — with Winchester Green as its centerpiece — is helping to revitalize the Dixwell and Newhallville neighborhoods. 

Union Square at Church Street South (Hill-to-Downtown Redevelopment) 

The Union Square project is a transformative redevelopment of the 8-acre vacant site across from Union Station — formerly the location of the 301-unit Church Street South housing complex, which was demolished in 2019. In 2023, the Housing Authority of New Haven (Elm City Communities) and its development arm, Glendower Group, acquired the property to lead its renewal. 

A master-planning team led by Torti Gallas + Partners and Kenneth Boroson Architects has been working with the community through an extensive outreach process, including a week-long public design charrette in September 2024, to shape a shared vision for the site. 

Preliminary concepts envision up to 2,000 new mixed-income apartments and townhomes, replacing former public housing and adding market-rate units. The plan includes on-site retail (cafes, services), green spaces like playgrounds, and a pedestrian promenade aligned with Church Street and Union Station. Buildings would be arranged in low-rise townhouses near the Hill neighborhood, stepping up to mid- and high-rise mixed-use buildings closer to Downtown. 

The plan also proposes improved streetscapes, better connections to the Green, and possibly a community education or performance space in later phases. Former Church Street South residents and nearby Wolfe tenants will receive priority access to the new housing, honoring a key community commitment. 

Although the project is still in the design and funding stage, with an initial $1.4 million planning grant from the state, Union Square represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebuild a key downtown-adjacent site into a vibrant, transit-oriented, and inclusive community that reconnects the Hill to Union Station and Downtown New Haven. 

Connecticut Center for Arts & Technology (ConnCAT) Place at Dixwell Plaza 

ConnCAT Place on Dixwell is a transformative, community-driven redevelopment of the former Dixwell Plaza shopping center in New Haven’s Dixwell neighborhood. Spearheaded by ConnCORP, the development arm of the nonprofit ConnCAT, the project aims to restore a vibrant civic and commercial hub at the heart of a historically Black community. The development broke ground in October 2024, following the demolition of the aging strip mall and adjacent Elks Lodge. 

The first phase of the project, now under construction, will include a new ConnCAT headquarters and job training center, a mid-rise residential tower with 184 apartments (20 percent of which will be affordable), a full-service grocery store, a food hall highlighting local culinary talent, and several small business storefronts. Community wellness is also central to the plan, with a childcare center and a family mental health clinic included in the mix. A large public plaza will anchor the site as a space for performances, events, and everyday gathering. 

The second phase will expand on this foundation with a performing arts center, additional office space for local entrepreneurs and nonprofits, and townhomes to diversify housing options. Backed by more than $16 million in state funding for infrastructure and environmental remediation, ConnCAT Place is designed to be a “community within a community” – a hub for housing, commerce, culture, and care. 

Goffe Street Armory Redevelopment 

The City of New Haven is advancing early-stage plans to redevelop the long-vacant Goffe Street Armory, a striking historic structure located in the Dixwell neighborhood. Once a military facility, the massive brick building is now poised for a new civic life. Through extensive community engagement and advocacy—particularly by the Armory Community Advisory Committee—a shared vision has emerged to transform the site into a hub of public benefit. 

Preliminary reuse concepts focus on creating a career-connected technical school, incorporating affordable housing, and dedicating space for community uses such as recreation, arts, and cultural programming. These priorities reflect neighborhood calls for a facility that meets local educational and housing needs while also serving as a welcoming gathering space. 

In 2023, the City secured a $250,000 planning grant from the State of Connecticut to conduct structural and environmental assessments, including roof repairs and testing for asbestos and other hazards. Based on those findings, New Haven has submitted a request for an additional $8 million in state Community Investment Fund support to stabilize the building and prepare it for reuse. 

The Armory, which was transferred from the state to the city several years ago, holds immense potential as a multi-purpose anchor institution for the Dixwell and Beaver Hills neighborhoods. A community-commissioned mural installed in 2024 now decorates its exterior—signaling the promise of transformation ahead. While the project timeline is still being developed, the combination of community vision and initial funding positions the Armory redevelopment as a high-priority initiative for inclusive growth and neighborhood reinvestment.