New Haven Galleria
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41°17′46″N 72°55′12″W / 41.296°N 72.920°W
The New Haven Galleria at Long Wharf was a shopping mall proposed for construction in New Haven, Connecticut by mayoral candidate Wally Grigo in 1993.[1]
Although Grigo did not win the election, his idea was embraced in a March 1996 announcement by Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. for a $500 million[2] project that would have been completed by 2001.[3] In September 1997, DeStefano spoke of the Galleria as a "high-end mall that will not just make the city proud, but will serve the entire region with distinction."[4]
Although "developers from around the world competed to build the mall", the mayor insisted that the winning developer use a local construction family, the Fuscos, who were "major political fund-raisers for the mayor".[1] The contract was eventually awarded to New England Development of Newton.[5][6]
The Galleria was to have been 1,200,000 square feet (110,000 m2), housing at least 150 stores.[7] Nordstrom, Macy's, Filene's, and Lord & Taylor had committed to the project.[6] The mall was estimated to create 3,000 jobs and bring in $7 million in annual property taxes.[8] It would have been encircled by a newly constructed road, Galleria Drive.,[9] and connected with Downtown New Haven by an electric trolley system.[10]
A unique feature of the mall was to have been a "retail academy", used as a "training ground for people who want to work for the stores and management".[11]