Redevelopment of the Former West Rock STREAM Academy, 311 Valley Street New Haven, CT 06515

The ~4.6-acre Site, located at 311 Valley Street in the West Rock section of New Haven, consists of a multi-story, ~30,000 square feet building, set back from the east side of Valley Street and in the shadow of West Rock Ridge Park with adjacent playfields and parking. Accessible from Valley Street and adjacent neighborhood roads. its position places it close to natural green space while still within New Haven’s urban fabric.

The Site was closed in 2021 due to non-repairable HVAC systems that failed to meet updated post-COVID air quality standards and has remained vacant since that time. In June 2025, the City’s Board of Education (the “Board”) determined the former public school building is surplus to the system and returned it to the care and custody of the City with the intention of disposal for redevelopment via a competitive process. The City’s Economic Development Administration (“EDA”) is coordinating the redevelopment program for both schools.

West Rock lies in the northwestern part of New Haven, framed by the ridgeline of West Rock Ridge State Park to the west and bordered by the West River to the east. The neighborhood stretches toward Hamden and Woodbridge and is largely residential, with a mix of single-family homes, apartment complexes, and public housing developments.

B. Physical Considerations

• The Site is generally level with the surrounding street grades, with asphalt and concrete cover as well as various landscaped ground surfaces.

• Exclusive of right-of-way, the current land is unused, whose ownership was transferred from the Board to the City in June 2025

• As part of the West Rock neighborhood, the site is well-suited to take advantage of existing public utilities, including electricity, telephone/fiber, natural gas, potable water and sanitary sewer.

• For the Site, it is important to consider the proximity of utilities and the neighborhood greenspaces when considering construction strategies. It will be beneficial to have experience with infill development on irregularly-shaped lots in complex construction situations.

• A Phase 1 Environmental Report is included with this solicitation

C. Environmental Considerations

• The use of the Site by New Haven Public Schools was discontinued after it was found that their ventilation systems were out of compliance during the COVID Pandemic. The required MERV 13 air filters that catch airborne viruses could not be installed in the building because of a combination of factors, including building age and prohibitive cost, rendering it unsafe for occupancy during that time.

• The City has commissioned a Phase 1 environmental report and the results of this report will be made publicly available. Respondents are encouraged to plan for additional environmental investigation, and any proposed project is subject to all federal and state regulations with regard to environmental suitability

• The site is located less than 0.2 miles from the West River. As such, any future redevelopment must consider stormwater management, erosion control, and potential impacts to nearby wetlands or riparian zones.

D. Planning Considerations

Setting

• The location of the site is strategically positioned near key transportation corridors in the northwestern part of New Haven. The property lies less than 1 mile from the Wilbur Cross Parkway (Route 15) and the Heroes Tunnel, providing quick regional access north toward Hartford and south toward Fairfield County and New York City. I-91 and I-95 are approximately 2 miles away, linking the site to the broader New England corridor.

• The site is approximately 4.5 miles from Union Station, New Haven’s primary rail hub with Amtrak, Metro-North, and Shore Line East service, which provides commuter rail access and parking for regional travelers. Tweed New Haven Airport is located roughly 7.5 miles away, offering convenient national air travel options for both residents and businesses.

• Located just under 3 miles from Downtown New Haven, the property has proximity to the city’s central business district, the Westville Village commercial district, Yale University, Southern Connecticut State University, and major employers. It also sits adjacent to West Rock Ridge State Park, providing natural recreational space. The property is served by CT Transit Route 241 along Valley Street, with additional nearby connections to Routes 237 and 243, enhancing accessibility for transportation-dependent residents.

• The surrounding area is a mix of residential homes, many older and/or historic with some larger multi-unit developments farther to the west, with the Site itself adjacent to some of the most significant green and/or open spaces in the neighborhood, including the West Rock Nature Center and West Rock Ridge State Park

Valley Street Complete Streets Project

The $2.2 million Valley Street Complete Streets redesign is one of the city’s most significant infrastructure undertakings in West Rock in recent years. The project aims to re-imagine Valley Street as a safer, more pedestrian-friendly corridor by rebuilding large stretches of the roadway, adding raised intersections and speed tables to slow traffic, and installing high-visibility crosswalks with flashing beacons. Sidewalks are being widened and repaved to ADA standards, and new curbing is being added to better manage stormwater. The improvements are designed to address long-standing safety issues, particularly for the students, families, and residents who walk along Valley Street to reach nearby schools, parks, and community facilities. Once complete, the project will make the corridor more inviting for both everyday use and future redevelopment.

Neighborhood Safety Improvements

Beyond the major roadwork, New Haven has invested in smaller, targeted safety projects around West Rock to directly respond to community concerns. The City installed new speed bumps and traffic-calming features along residential stretches of Valley Street and Brookside Avenue, reducing cut-through speeding and creating safer routes to school. A bus stop near Common Ground High School has been reconfigured with better signage and pedestrian buffers, improving visibility and safety for transit users. Plans are also advancing for a pedestrian bridge across Wintergreen Brook, which will provide a direct, car-free connection between homes, schools, and green space. Together, these measures complement the larger Complete Streets effort, ensuring that neighborhood infrastructure upgrades are both broad in scope and responsive to community needs.

E. REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

New Haven Zoning Ordinance

The site is located in an RM-1 District: Low-Middle Density. According to the City’s Zoning Ordinance, RM-1 districts are intended for the protection of areas developed predominantly for single-family detached dwellings, with limited non-residential uses that support and harmonize with a low-density residential area. All RM-1 districts are subject to the general provisions for residence districts set forth in Article IV, as well as all other applicable sections of the ordinance.

III. PROJECT GOALS

This project presents a unique opportunity for the selected respondent to have a significant positive impact on the West Rock neighborhood. The City envisions any number of potential mixed uses that drive positive community outcomes consistent with City legislative and development goals. The City would like to pair this design vision with the deployment of efficient and sustainable building technologies and the utilization of highly paid labor, primarily undertaken by New Haven residents.

The City is seeking project concepts and qualifications from one or more qualified developers for the redevelopment of the Site in a manner which advances the following goals:

• Creation of mixed-income/mixed-use and/or community asset-type development in a manner consistent with the vibrancy of the West Rock neighborhood

• Creation of high-qulaity, career-oriented, sustainable jobs both in construction and in operations

• Development of spaces and entities that enhance health equity and/or community well-being.

• Expansion of New Haven’s property tax base, or in the case of a lease, payments to the City in the form of monthly payments.

• Development which advances the City’s climate resiliency and carbon reduction strategy.

• Alignment with the City’s land use regulations and comprehensive plan.

Proposals must demonstrate:

• Financial and technical feasibility

• Schedule and ability to deliver the project in a timely fashion.

• Community benefits and stakeholder engagement

• Alignment with goals listed in Section III.

IV. SITE INFORMATION

• Address: 311 Valley St, New Haven, CT 06515

• Parcel Size: 4.6 Acres

• Building Size: 33,605 square feet

• Zoning: RM-1

• Ownership: City of New Haven

• Current Use: vacant/former public school

V. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

A. PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

Responses to this RFP should be submitted entirely via the City’s Purchasing Division solicitation portal (OpenGov). More info here: https://www.newhavenct.gov/government/departments-divisions/purchasing-division/general-information/bids

B. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS & FORMAT

The following is requested for the City to evaluate the experience and capacity of the developer to undertake the proposed Project:

1 . Transmittal Cover Letter

• Name, address, telephone number, fax number, etc. for the lead development company.

• Name, title, address, telephone number, fax number, and email address of the person designated as the primary contact for the lead development company.

• Legal structure of lead development company or anticipated entity (e.g., corporation, joint venture, limited partnership, etc.) and date of legal establishment.

2 . Development T eam Summary

The development team could consist solely of a developer and design lead, and the City does not expect that respondents can at this time identify all the professionals that might eventually be involved in the Project. However, to the extent that a more comprehensive set of team members can be identified, please do so by providing the following information on each member of your team.

• If the lead development company has already considered outside consultants to assist in the Planning, design, negotiations, or other aspects of the Project, please identify these consultants and briefly describe the nature and type of service to be provided and a description of the roles of key team members plus one-to-two-page resumes of relevant staff assigned to this Project.

• Description of core business activities.

• Number of years in business.

• Number of full-time employees.

• Supplemental materials, such as company brochures, etc.

• List of any commercial properties or development sites in currently owned or controlled by developer or any of its identified team members.

3 . Project Concept

The City is interested in a response that provides a Project concept that meets the City’s goals for the Sites in unique and innovative ways. The City expects that the respondent’s concept would not necessarily need to include any detailed design drawings (e.g., site plan, floor plans, elevations); however, respondents are encouraged to submit as many renderings with details as they deem appropriate for the City to clearly understand the proposal.

• Describe the overall project in a narrative which should describe the proposed use(s). List types of uses (e.g.,non-profit programming, residential, office, retail, etc.) including building area by use and how the Project relates to City objectives and supports its goals.

• Describe the scale of development including building heights and massing, articulation of ground-level spaces and relationship to the public realm.

• Articulate the marketing focus of the proposed uses and how that market focus might be reflected in unit type, Project features and price point.

• Describe location of key uses, size/distribution of tenant spaces, interrelationship with parking resources, identification of illustrative tenancies, and related factors.

• A summary of the process for community engagement and involvement.

4 . Relevant Development Experience and Development Capacity

Please provide a description of no more than three (3) relevant projects completed or in process by the respondent’s team. Members of the team for the proposed Project should have had a significant role in these past projects including:

• Project name, location, and type of real estate product

• Description of the real estate product, its quality, and amenities

• Experience in developing community consensus and securing community support for the project

• Current status of the project (i.e., construction status or number of years since completion)

• Photos and site plans of the project

• Names and roles of partners involved in the project (if applicable)

• Development cost and financing summary

• Primary sources of equity and debt

• Primary sources of cash or cash equivalents employed during pre-development

• List of lenders for the project including contact information

• Indication of whether the project involved a business relationship with a public agency and a description of the nature of any such relationship.

5 . Demonstration of Financial Capacity and Related Information

Please provide the following information to demonstrate the financial capacity to undertake and complete the development proposed in the Site and Project Concept section. Respondents shall mail or deliver one (1) bound original of the Evidence of Financial Capacity, Section V of the RFP (which shall remain confidential) under separate cover by the same date and time to the Purchasing Department. This information will be used solely by them for purposes of evaluation under the RFP and will be treated as confidential to the extent allowed by law. This one original will be returned at the conclusion of the selection process with no copies retained by the City.

• Financial Statements for the previous three (3) fiscal years for the lead development or team members (as applicable). Certified statements are preferred.

• Most recent annual report(s).

• List of any current non-performing loans or loan defaults in the past five (5) years

• Description of instances in which a member of the respondent’s team or any named individual has been involved in litigation or other legal dispute regarding a real estate venture during the past five years. Include information regarding the outcome of the litigation or dispute

• Information about instances in which any member of the development team has ever filed for bankruptcy, or any projects that have been lost to foreclosure

• Past history of raising capital

• Composition of real estate portfolio by type and occupancy percentage

• Any available evidence that demonstrates that the development team has the financial capacity to engage in the planning and development of the Site, specifically:

• balance sheets detailing cash or cash equivalent funds sufficient to fund necessary pre-development activities pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

• evidence of financial capacity to carry out the development of the Site.

6. References

Provide references with sufficient information to ensure easy contact. This should include company/organization, names, titles, telephone numbers, and email addresses for individuals who can provide information relating to the following items:

• Financial Contacts – Identify at least three (3) contacts that have provided members of the development team with debt or equity financing of at least the magnitude likely to be required for the Project.

• Public or Government – Identify at least two (2) municipalities, county, city, or other public officials who have been involved with a project completed by members of the respondent’s development team (e.g., city managers, planning directors, economic development directors, etc.).

• General – Provide the names of up to two (2) other contacts that could provide information about the experience and capability of members of the development team for a program of the magnitude proposed

VI. PROPOSAL SELECTION

A. PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION

The City will evaluate proposals taking into consideration the RFP Evaluation Criteria listed in Section VI.B. The City reserves the right to conduct one (1) or more interviews with respondents in order to arrive at a selection. Once a selection is made, the City may negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the selected respondent for a period of no more than one (1) year during which time the City will hold a public hearing and the selected respondent will be afforded the opportunity to carry out pre-development activities all towards resolving terms and conditions of a development and land disposition agreement (DLDA). The City will then submit the DLDA to the Board of Alders for final consideration and approval.

1. The City reserves the right to reject any or all RFP responses or to waive any informalities or irregularities when, in the opinion of the City, such rejections or waivers shall be to its interest or advantage. At the City’s option, respondents may be asked to participate in an interview process.

B. RFP EVALUATION CRITERIA

The Evaluation Committee will use the following criteria in evaluating responses. Please do not submit an offer to purchase the property at this time.