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Law of the Jungle
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Business New Haven
7/9/2001
By: BNH
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What a difference a measly 12 miles makes.
Without question, the leading economic-development success story of south-central Connecticut has been written in Shelton (see page 40). According to Robert D. Scinto, who in that once-sleepy town has developed nine major office buildings totaling more than million square feet, a key factor has been a strongly pro-development attitude on the part of town officials. "There's no monkey business here," Scinto says.
Meanwhile, even as much improves for New Haven, the credibility of those interested in its economic development suffered a major setback as Mayor John DeStefano Jr., feeling the heat of a challenger for his City Hall corner office, now says he accepts responsibility for the "procedures and processes" that greased the flow of $485,000 into the bank account of the politically connected but tax-delinquent architect Wendell Harp.
The Elm City's economy cries out for outside development interest and dollars, and the state's (now-) second-largest city has much to offer in terms of downtown property - Macy's, the former Malley's block, Chapel Square Mall - that, if sensibly redeveloped, could help trigger urban renewal.
But, as commercial Realtors will tell you, there remains a pervasive perception that development in New Haven remains an insider's game. New Haven didn't get this reputation over night and it needs to do far more to overcome it.
As a consequence, many potential commercial developers look at New Haven and say, "Who needs the aggravation, anyway?"
Then comes word that New Haven's scandal-plagued housing authority has chosen a developer to apply for $35 million from the federal government to rebuild blighted housing projects in the West Rock neighborhood. One of the partners? Wendell Harp.
One can only imagine what Harp must have on top city officials to command this sort of leverage. But big-developers don't bother with wondering about such things. Like Bob Scinto, they simply take their ideas, their energies - and their dollars - to communities where there's no "monkey business."
That's the real law of the jungle.
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