Railroad Forums 

Discussion relating to the operations of MTA MetroNorth Railroad including west of Hudson operations and discussion of CtDOT sponsored rail operations such as Shore Line East and the Springfield to New Haven Hartford Line

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, nomis, FL9AC, Jeff Smith

 #1517003  by GirlOnTheTrain
 
A host of city and state officials along with local business owners and marketing consultants discussed those plans for a renewed commercial landscape at Union Station during a walking tour and press conference Tuesday afternoon
https://www.newhavenindependent.org/ind ... _station1/

Good, maybe something better than Dunkin, Subway and crappy Sbarro will be at NHV soon.
 #1517012  by shadyjay
 
I have had to wait for connecting trains for an hour or so at NHV before, and can attest that a place to get a beer there would be great. Some sort of establishment on the upper level would be perfect, overlooking the waiting room.

Until the outlying rail lines (Hartford Line, SLE) get better frequency, there will be the need for a 2nd garage at the train station. I think building it where the bus lot is now wouldn't look right. Converting the [north of the existing garage] surface lot to a garage (the current proposal) is a good idea, though getting to the station would be a little bit of a walk, unless they build an overhead walkway to the platforms (I think that was in a proposal as well).
 #1517035  by radio
 
Thanks for posting this. I avoid Union Station like the plague. If I'm going to Boston, I get the train to the east, usually Old Saybrook. If NY or south, I drive to Milford station. The coffee shop on the lower level is impenetrable with more then two people in line with luggage. I have been using it a little more frequently since I started Uber-ing from North Haven, but maybe I will just use the new station there (When it gets built), and take CTRail to Union.
 #1517781  by Traingeek3629
 
I'd like an enhanced version of what they have now. For example, replace Subway with a decent deli, replace Dunkin with Starbucks or a gourmet Donut shop and replace Sbarro with a pizza place or something.
 #1517901  by daybeers
 
I've always liked New Haven Union but found the food options definitely lacking, so I'm a fan of this plan. The comments on the article were interesting to read.

I can't believe the state still wants to build that giant, expensive parking garage when that land could be used for a mixed-use development.
 #1518025  by J.D. Lang
 
I can't believe the state still wants to build that giant, expensive parking garage when that land could be used for a mixed-use development.
I'm not a regular user of Union station but every time I've taken a train from there the existing parking garage is always pretty much full. I've driven around the garage a number of times to finally find a spot. In my opinion they definitely need another garage.
 #1518050  by daybeers
 
J.D. Lang wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2019 8:27 am
I can't believe the state still wants to build that giant, expensive parking garage when that land could be used for a mixed-use development.
I'm not a regular user of Union station but every time I've taken a train from there the existing parking garage is always pretty much full. I've driven around the garage a number of times to finally find a spot. In my opinion they definitely need another garage.
While I admit that often the existing parking garage and surface lot is often full by mid-morning, there is already more than enough parking in New Haven (with some free or at a significant discount compared with the station), but some people don't want to walk the five minutes to the station through the "dangerous" city. I don't know about you, but I'd really rather the state not spend my taxes on a $60 million, 1000+ space garage for people who drive alone to New Haven Union, park in the garage, and take the train to their well over six figure job. We should use the $60 million and improve local/regional transit connections to NHV so they can take transit the whole way instead.
 #1518156  by R36 Combine Coach
 
Backshophoss wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 6:30 pm Dunkin makes better coffee than Starbuck$$$$ fu-fu crap! Subway bakes bread onsite and uses fresh veggies daily.
I would prefer Panera, with better coffee and more upscale bakery items, through might not be possible to fit a full size location (with full bakery on site) in a railroad station.
 #1518210  by Kilo Echo
 
R36 Combine Coach wrote: Sun Aug 25, 2019 9:57 pmI would prefer Panera, with better coffee and more upscale bakery items, through might not be possible to fit a full size location (with full bakery on site) in a railroad station.
I vote for Au Bon Pain. (It's probably too far from New York for Zaro's.)
 #1518538  by GirlOnTheTrain
 
Zaro's has the worst bagels known to man anyway. ABP operates in hospitals - no idea if Yale New Haven or St. Raphiel have one, but that proves they can be operated out of a small footprint.
 #1518687  by Kilo Echo
 
GirlOnTheTrain wrote: Wed Aug 28, 2019 8:03 pm Zaro's has the worst bagels known to man anyway. ABP operates in hospitals - no idea if Yale New Haven or St. Raphiel have one, but that proves they can be operated out of a small footprint.
Though I've never tried Zaro's bagels (Ess-a-Bagel continues to reign supreme), I found Zaro's sandwiches to be quite esculent. That said, if I could choose an ideal sandwich shop for Union Station, it would probably be Bánh Mì Saigon.
 #1523478  by jxzz
 
There seems to have a lot local opposition to the giant parking lot, it may not get built.

More food option at NHV Union Station is wonderful idea. Current offering is not quite impressive.
 #1523493  by daybeers
 
jxzz wrote: Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:53 pm There seems to have a lot local opposition to the giant parking lot, it may not get built.
This sounds great to me! No need for the state to subsidize single occupancy car trips from wealthy neighborhoods or customers when they could just as easily take the train, bus, or just park a few blocks and have to walk (oh good heavens!) when the site is a perfect location for transit oriented development such as apartment buildings and shops in a mixed-use zone. How can I help with the advocacy?
 #1523584  by jxzz
 
daybeers wrote: Sat Oct 26, 2019 3:49 am
jxzz wrote: Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:53 pm There seems to have a lot local opposition to the giant parking lot, it may not get built.
This sounds great to me! No need for the state to subsidize single occupancy car trips from wealthy neighborhoods or customers when they could just as easily take the train, bus, or just park a few blocks and have to walk (oh good heavens!) when the site is a perfect location for transit oriented development such as apartment buildings and shops in a mixed-use zone. How can I help with the advocacy?
Agree, no point of building a huge new parking garage for New Haven Union Station. Not good for New Haven downtown development. I would rather use the new land for more shops/restaurant or more apartments near station.

More riders should just take nearby CTrail Shore Line East or Hartford Line stations to connect to Metro North. West Haven/Faifield Metro on the spot parking is usually available as well for occasional riders.