Working Together: Yale SOM, Yale University and the City of Ansonia, CT

An SOM Outreach team, along with SOM alumni mentor, Tom Guiltinan '02, and Yale Properties in the Office of New Haven & State Affairs, created a redevelopment plan for the local town of Ansonia.

The students on the team were: Wendy Chan '03, David Silverman '03, Ashish Ward '03, Ming Wei '03 and Julie Yufe '03.

When the Latex Foam International factory on West Main Street in Ansonia burned down nearly two years ago, city and regional leaders called it one of the most devastating events to ever hit the Naugatuck Valley.

Now, with the help of students from both SOM, and the School of Architecture, plans for a comprehensive multiuse redevelopment of the 10-acre site are about to be unveiled, according to Ansonia's mayor, James Della Volpe.

The new plan would create a lively downtown area by integrating the site to other parts of the city with a mixed-use residential and professional park. Multiple uses such as light industrial and commercial businesses, housing, a green and walkway, antique street lamps, an artist's colony in vacant old buildings and repair of the city's dilapidated hilltop riverfront staircase would combine to invigorate the downtown.

Those are among the students' ideas, which are likely to be part of a comprehensive overhaul of not only the former Latex site, but also of a one- to two-mile area along the river that stretches out from the heart of the city to other parts of the community, the mayor and chamber president said.
A great example of how current students and alumni can work together to make a difference!