Church Street project area, Union Station, Union Avenue, New Haven

Title supplied by cataloger. One of a collection of photographs taken by the New Haven Redevelopment Agency to document a massive urban planning and development project undertaken from 1956 through the mid-1970s. The federally-financed redevelopment initiative was realized through a series of projects focused on particular New Haven city neighborhoods identified by street or area names. These projects involved the demolition of old structures and construction of new buildings, roadways and other facilities. Much of the area involved in the Church Street project had been characterized by a mix of small stores, restaurants, theaters and residences. As part of redevelopment, whole blocks were demolished to make way for larger modern structures such as department stores, hotels, office buildings, a mall and the New Haven Coliseum. Union Station was designed by Cass Gilbert and built in 1918. As railroad travel waned in the mid-twentieth century, the station fell into disrepair and was on the verge of demolition by the late 1970s. It was restored in the 1980s.