The real issue is why New Haven is powerless to use the law to take over these buildings and demolish them, and stabilize and sell the site, year after year, decade after decade. Why is a construction permit good for ten years so that the apartment building at Winchester and Tilton can be under construction for 10 years?

I agree, RFM. I understand the same person owns that building at Winchester & Tilton. It has sat empty, half-finished, for 8 years following the fire in 2012. It’s the worst combination of city policy (10 year construction permit) and an irresponsible owner who doesn’t give a care about this neighborhood.

I’m tempted to organize a neighborhood effort to pressure LCI and the property owner to take action. Would neighbors be interested?

Yes, I would be interested!

YES YES YES. I walk by here everyday (I live around the corner) and I can't STAND this blight. Why do we residents have to live with this? Winchester/Science Park is a growing neighborhood, yet the Winchester/Tilton and 235 Winchester buildings are inhibiting the area's economic growth. Can we petition the city to address these two buildings?

This has been an issue since 16 years, 9 months and 5 days ago. That's when Kenny Hill and his friend from the Yale Athletics Department purchased the property. Other than having the appearance of a building in a post-apocalyptic dystopian sci-fi movie, the city gave Kenny a $168,000 loan to have the lead paint removed. Kenny claimed he paid a contractor who never did the work. The city claimed the work was done, but Kenny refused to pay the contractor.

This is why it's always wise to communicate via online messages i.e., email. The bickering between Kenny and the city was done via unrecorded phone calls, so, other than access to financial records, which might include the need for warrants, there is no credible evidence to prove who is telling the truth.

News about this property was pushed into the shadows more than a year ago. It's great to see it is again gaining attention. Let's make this building disappear like David Copperfield did to the Statue of Liberty.

Those who have more experience in this: what is the best way to bring this to the serious attention of the city? Is it a letter signed by residents? Is it a letter from local businesses that feel the blighted property is impeding economic growth? Is it working with a legal team?

I’m so glad that so many of my neighbors feel the same as I do. As far as collective action goes, perhaps we should start with a group meeting with LCI director Serena Neal-Sanjurjo? I’m happy to coordinate that. Alternatively (or in addition to a meeting), we could do a door-to-door petition to demonstrate the neighborhood’s insistence that action be taken and that our patience has lapsed long ago. Is the best way to communicate with all of you here via SCF?

It works for me. And I would gladly help with door-to-door if/when it comes to that.

I'm happy to help in whatever capacity. Let's keep using this thread if that's okay? When we meet in person we can exchange email addresses. I'll alert some neighbors who I know will want to participate, too. WDC user: can you arrange a meeting with Serena and let us know when/where to show up?

Hi, Yes. I will email Serena this evening and will post an update on this thread when I hear back from her. Sounds like a good plan.

Good Morning Concerned Residents,

LCI is happy to discuss this matter.

Please contact Deputy Director Frank D'Amore, Jr. to schedule a meeting. Please call 203.946.7090.

Thanks!

Thanks so much. I just sent an email to Frank. We look forward to meeting with you.

Hi, everyone. Quick update: I heard back from Frank D’Amore at LCI. He echoed our concerns and frustration about the condition of the property and is looking forward to meeting with us. Before we meet, he will first check-in with the LCI director for her input. He also wants to wait until our local LCI rep, Diondrea Moore, returns to LCI on Monday, March 2nd, following a brief leave. I’ll update you all here when we get a meeting day/time set. More soon...

I could be wrong but I thought LCI, and our alder were going to meet with Ken Hill late in January. Did they?

Welcome back, Diondrea. Do we have a date set for a meeting?

I'm afraid this issue is going to get bogged down again. Please let us know where this stands! Thank you.

Not bogged down if we can help it! W-D-C, is Diondrea willing to do a meeting?

Hi all, I received an email from Diondrea yesterday about scheduling the meeting. It sounds like Kenny Hill will be present at this meeting as well. I’ve sent her Diondrea some dates & times for the meeting (late this week and early next week) and as soon as it’s confirmed, I’ll share the details with you all, including the meeting location. More to come soon...

I've been listening to Kenny Hill for over 3 years now. I don't know that I care to hear more from him. This is blight, pure and simple.

I’ll relay that to Diondrea and update you here.

I, too, am not interested in any more of Kenny's excuses. Our patience has expired. We look forward to the meeting.

I hold the city responsible. I want to hear from representatives at the city what their legal options are for demolishing and stabilizing a property. Either they can do it, or not, and if they can. I want to know why they are not doing it. And charging the owner the cost, of course.

Hello All,

As I work remotely I am leaning how to navigate SCF from my phone. I am sti working closely with my bosses to figure out an approach that 1. Will work 2. Will stick with this particular property. Please know that this property has always been something that I personally have worked hard on and I have come to a point with it that I have to involve my bosses. I am also working on getting a the ok and a time for a zoom call to hear out the concerns that you all have personally.

Thank you all so much for working with myself and my department as we figure out the best solution.
DeeDee

Thanks, DeeDee. Please don't hesitate to let us know if there is anything (anything at all!) we can do to be helpful. We appreciate you!

Hi DeeDee / LCI: Do you still plan to arrange a zoom meeting for us regarding this property?

We are still working on this property.

Thank you for the update!

I'm sorry, this property has been a disaster since I moved here in 2005. The city has no interest in doing anything. I think that at 15 years that is a very fair statement.

They are focusing on another nearby property owned by this scofflaw, then they plan to turn their attention to it. But I agree, it should be condemned immediately if not sooner.

We have moved the property into our Civil Citation process.

What I'd like to know is how can I get a $168K loan to remove lead paint -- or otherwise improve my property!

Hi DeeDee and Frank. Could you elaborate a little bit on what the Civil Citation process is? What exactly does it entail and what can we expect to happen to this property in the coming months? Thank you to LCI for your work on this blighted property.

Thank you to everyone who has been working to address this issue -- we WILL get there in the end.