Empowering
People, Place
COMMUNITY-LED VISION
First HAVEN is a bold vision for neighborhood revitalization rooted in economic justice and community leadership. The initiative integrates affordable housing, entrepreneurship, workforce development, food access, arts and culture, and family services to build a thriving local micro-economy where residents can live, work, and grow generational wealth.
For more than a decade, our work has been shaped by the voices and priorities of Dixwell residents. First HAVEN continues that tradition, ensuring revitalization is guided by those who call the community home. By investing in people and place, we are turning long-overlooked neighborhoods into lasting examples of equitable opportunity.
CREATED JOBS
700+
ECONOMIC IMPACT
$1 Billion
CO-DESIGNED WITH RESIDENTS
This neighborhood has always had something special. First HAVEN is giving us the space to show it. — Dixwell resident.
NEIGHBORHOOD INDEX STUDY
FOUNDATION OF SHARED PRIORITIES
RESIDENTS REQUESTED
BENEFITS
Six Pillars Driving Revitalization of the Dixwell Micro-Economy
Retail Corridor Revitalization
New retail and office tenants (80,000 sq. ft.)
Housing
Affordable housing (180+ apartments and townhomes), safe walkable streets
Food Security
Grocery store, food hall (15+ entrepreneurs), culinary training
Arts & Culture
Performing Arts Center (350 seats), Community Art Gallery
Workforce programs, trauma center (1,000+ patients), daycare (100+ families)
THE COMMUNITY
Dixwell is one of New Haven’s oldest and most storied neighborhoods, with roots stretching back to the 1600s. By the early 20th century it was a thriving corridor of commerce, culture and civic pride anchored by institutions and community leaders who shaped the city’s history.
Today, Dixwell is reclaiming that legacy. First HAVEN sits at its heart — transforming eight acres on Dixwell Avenue into a vibrant mixed-use district that honors the neighborhood’s past while building its future. Surrounded by historic anchors, community institutions and the energy of a neighborhood on the rise, First HAVEN is designed to belong here and to ensure Dixwell’s residents do too.
COMMUNITY SNAPSHOT
Population: 15,000 in Dixwell–Newhallville; 135,000 in New Haven
Neighborhood Origins: 1820s
Total Site Area: 400,000 sq ft, 8 buildings
FROM THE CEO
“Dixwell has always had everything it needs — talent, culture, resilience and pride. What it has lacked is the investment and infrastructure to match. First HAVEN is our answer to that. Not something done for this community, but something built by it, with it and for it. Designed to create opportunity that lasts long after any of us are gone.”
LEADERSHIP
COMMUNITY PLAZA
The Community Plaza is the living heart of First HAVEN — an open, welcoming public space designed for the community that built it. From farmers markets and cultural celebrations to seasonal art installations and quiet afternoons, the park is a place where Dixwell’s past is honored and its future takes shape.
Free, open and built to last, the Community Plaza is a space for everyone — a gathering place that belongs to the neighborhood, in every sense of the word.
FAQ
When will First HAVEN open?
The first phase of First HAVEN — 65,000 square feet including ConnCAT’s workforce training center, Friends Daycare and a trauma-informed mental health clinic — is slated to open in June 2026. The next phase, which includes the grocery store, food hall, performing arts center, housing and public plaza, is planned for delivery beginning in 2027.
How was First HAVEN designed?
First HAVEN didn’t begin with a blueprint — it began with listening. Over more than fifteen years, we held community meetings, conducted neighborhood research and asked Dixwell residents what they needed, valued and dreamed for their neighborhood. With a focus on the highest quality and beauty, we partnered with leading architects and construction partners to create a space shaped entirely by the people it serves.
How does First HAVEN protect against displacement?
Protecting current residents and retaining the community’s culture is a core commitment of First HAVEN, not an afterthought. The development includes affordability guarantees and covenants, below-market homeownership opportunities through its townhome program and ongoing community engagement to ensure that revitalization strengthens the neighborhood rather than prices people out of it.
How do I find out about housing availability?
First HAVEN will offer more than 180 apartments and townhomes, including affordable units and townhomes designed as an accessible entry point to homeownership.
How can entrepreneurs and small businesses get involved?
First HAVEN is designed to be a launchpad for local entrepreneurs. The food hall will feature 15+ local food entrepreneurs and co-working spaces will support early-stage businesses and startups. Workforce training and entrepreneurship programs through ConnCAT and The Lab at ConnCORP provide pathways from training to ownership.
How can funders and partners get involved?
First HAVEN is at an inflection point. Phase 1a is opening this June and the work of building Phase 1b’s commercial engine — the grocery store, food hall, housing and performing arts center — is underway. We are actively seeking mission-aligned partners: philanthropic funders, impact investors and organizations with expertise in food access, affordable housing and community economic development. If that sounds like you, we’d love to talk. Request a briefing below.
How do I learn more or stay connected?
The best way to stay connected is to request a briefing or sign up for updates using the options below. You can also reach our team directly here.
Learn more about housing and retail opportunities