Carolyn C. Smith
Time does not stand still. As time marches on so do the people of our society. New Haven has changed dramatically. Those changes have had a great impact on Newhallville. All of the major industries which were positive in promoting prosperity of this neighborhood are no longer here mostly because of technology. Some businesses moved away because of the high economy of the state. The only business which is still in existence is the Olin Corporation. There are times however, that there is fear that that corporation may leave too.
There is hope with the rise of the Science Park Project, a subdivision of Yale University and the Olin Corporation. This project’s main purposes are to take unused industrial land and develop it into a large research, office, and manufacturing complex. It is the hope of the project that this development will benefit the residents as well as the companies involved. After much confrontation, businesses are beginning to occupy the office spaces.
With the support of the Neighborhood Restoration Corporation, efforts are being made to give Newhallville a facelift. Their long-range goal to improve the neighborhood will also erase the poor image that the neighborhood and its residents have been subjected to for the past twenty-five to thirty years. There is evidence of the work of this corporation as we walk or ride through the streets of Newhallville. We can see new housing developments replacing dilapidated homes and buildings. Grants and low rate loans are being provided to homeowners to make improvements to their dwellings.
Inside and outside forces have caused the neighborhood to be a victim of high crime. The community action of the residents will slowly eliminate many of these problems. The residents realize that they are not plagued with this problem alone, therefore, they are hoping that the government at the local, state, and national levels will come up with a rigid plan to combat the problem. These problems seem to be escalating faster and higher that a solution can be agreed upon to resolve the situation.
It will take a lot of planning, many years, and much effort in order to give this neighborhood what it so rightfully desires and deserves. The forces of all neighborhoods of New Haven forging and fusing together for the main purposes of unity and prosperity will be beneficial to all. We all must have faith because there is that glimmer of hope. We must remind ourselves that the settlers who came here from England did not give up when the times got rough.
The Streets of Newhallville
The streets of this neighborhood are typical of those found in other areas of the city. They are lined with huge single family, two-family, or three-family homes. As in the earlier days, the streets also have the traditional huge trees found on the lawns. The main street, of course, is Dixwell Avenue. This avenue runs through the center of Newhallville and was well traveled during the earlier days to venture North into Cheshire and Hartford. The map below shows the streets that are found in the area today.
(figure available in print form)
