Archiscape Blog

Creating a Streetscape for a Vibrant Neighborhood

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Karin • Filed under: , , , , ,

What was once a vibrant gateway to Fair Haven Heights in New Haven is now a largely empty lot with only the brick ‘Grand Vin’ building as testimony to its storied past. For Heights on the River, one of our current projects, we are creating a new streetscape, with retail and restaurant activity at street level and apartments on the two levels above.

As Fair Haven locals ourselves—our office is right across the river from this exciting new project—it’s an honor to have a hand in revitalizing this once-bustling neighborhood. We know the value of a good streetscape and have taken care to create a community worthy of the history of Fair Haven Heights and of the past, present, and future residents of this beloved neighborhood.

BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO A TIRED STREET

Here are a few images that illustrate the site as it stands today and our proposed plan for restoring much-needed life to this long-neglected streetscape.

The street as it stands today, with the brick ‘Grand Vin’ building at the eastern end.

A new group of buildings, based on building massing of the past, will create density and activity on the site.

The street-level spaces are locations for the resident entry, resident amenities, and retail/restaurant space for rent.

A new restaurant space on the southwest corner has a patio for patrons and a walkway that leads from here along the river.

The riverside apartments have balconies and views of the river and historic Fair Haven beyond.

For us, the most important thing to get right with this streetscape is to keep the historical integrity of the neighborhood intact, while still creating a dynamic, modern community. We’re proud of our work so far on Heights on the River and are ready to go full steam ahead on this exciting local project!