by Thomas Breen The New Haven independent
… 32 Clinton …
… and 533 Chapel.
The Elicker administration has sent cease-and-desist letters to Mandy Management for putting up company signs on three apartment buildings in violation of historic district rules in Fair Haven and Wooster Square.
The city’s Building Department filed those three separate violation notices on the city’s land records database on Aug. 14 and Aug. 19.
The first was issued to the Mandy-affiliated holding company ABCD Homes DE LLC for the eight-unit mixed-use building it owns at 1 Grand Ave., the second to Mandy’s SFR 2 DE LLC for the nine-unit apartment building it owns at 32 Clinton Ave., and the third to Mandy’s ABCD Chapel DE LLC for the seven-unit apartment building it owns at 533 Chapel St.
Each of the three letters states that city Zoning Enforcement Officer Evan Trachten inspected the respective property and found that “off-premises signs” had been installed without the necessary building and zoning review and approval.
All three unpermitted signs follow the same design: yellow text against a black background showing the words “MANDY MANAGEMENT” and a “M” symbol reminiscent of the cables on the Q Bridge. The Mandy signs at 533 Chapel and 32 Clinton are installed on the awnings above the front doors to each property, while the rectangular sign at 1 Grand hangs on the eastern wall of the building, pointing toward the Quinnipiac River and the Grand Avenue Bridge.
A representative from Mandy Management — one of the city’s largest landlord-property management-real estate investment companies — did not respond to a request for comment by the publication time of this article.
“Off-premises signs” are not permitted at 533 Chapel because that property is located within the Wooster Square Local Historic District and because it’s in the RM‑2 (High-Middle Density) zoning district.
They’re not permitted at 32 Clinton because that property is located within the Quinnipiac Avenue (West Side) National Register Historic District and because it’s in the RM‑1 (Low-Middle Density) zoning district.
And they’re not permitted at 1 Grand Ave. because that property is located within the Quinnipiac River National Register Historic District and within 250 feet of the Quinnipiac River Local Historic District.
“You are hereby ordered to cease and desist the above violation as required in Section(s) 62 of the New Haven Zoning Ordinance within ten (10) days of receipt of this letter,” each letter reads. Failure to comply with the order could result in “criminal and/or civil penalties for each day of willful violation” of city law. Mandy also has 30 days to file an appeal in each case.
In a comment provided to the Independent for this article, city Economic Development Administrator Mike Piscitelli confirmed that the cease-and-desist orders were sent out because these properties had off-premises signs installed without the necessary local approvals.
“The Building Department will persist with letters and potential fines,” Piscitelli said, “if the properties are not brought into compliance promptly.”
… and 533 Chapel.
The Elicker administration has sent cease-and-desist letters to Mandy Management for putting up company signs on three apartment buildings in violation of historic district rules in Fair Haven and Wooster Square.
The city’s Building Department filed those three separate violation notices on the city’s land records database on Aug. 14 and Aug. 19.
The first was issued to the Mandy-affiliated holding company ABCD Homes DE LLC for the eight-unit mixed-use building it owns at 1 Grand Ave., the second to Mandy’s SFR 2 DE LLC for the nine-unit apartment building it owns at 32 Clinton Ave., and the third to Mandy’s ABCD Chapel DE LLC for the seven-unit apartment building it owns at 533 Chapel St.
Each of the three letters states that city Zoning Enforcement Officer Evan Trachten inspected the respective property and found that “off-premises signs” had been installed without the necessary building and zoning review and approval.
All three unpermitted signs follow the same design: yellow text against a black background showing the words “MANDY MANAGEMENT” and a “M” symbol reminiscent of the cables on the Q Bridge. The Mandy signs at 533 Chapel and 32 Clinton are installed on the awnings above the front doors to each property, while the rectangular sign at 1 Grand hangs on the eastern wall of the building, pointing toward the Quinnipiac River and the Grand Avenue Bridge.
A representative from Mandy Management — one of the city’s largest landlord-property management-real estate investment companies — did not respond to a request for comment by the publication time of this article.
“Off-premises signs” are not permitted at 533 Chapel because that property is located within the Wooster Square Local Historic District and because it’s in the RM‑2 (High-Middle Density) zoning district.
They’re not permitted at 32 Clinton because that property is located within the Quinnipiac Avenue (West Side) National Register Historic District and because it’s in the RM‑1 (Low-Middle Density) zoning district.
And they’re not permitted at 1 Grand Ave. because that property is located within the Quinnipiac River National Register Historic District and within 250 feet of the Quinnipiac River Local Historic District.
“You are hereby ordered to cease and desist the above violation as required in Section(s) 62 of the New Haven Zoning Ordinance within ten (10) days of receipt of this letter,” each letter reads. Failure to comply with the order could result in “criminal and/or civil penalties for each day of willful violation” of city law. Mandy also has 30 days to file an appeal in each case.
In a comment provided to the Independent for this article, city Economic Development Administrator Mike Piscitelli confirmed that the cease-and-desist orders were sent out because these properties had off-premises signs installed without the necessary local approvals.
“The Building Department will persist with letters and potential fines,” Piscitelli said, “if the properties are not brought into compliance promptly.”