A popular business destination, what is North Haven's secret? - New Haven Register

NORTH HAVEN - It may be a New England town of just 23,000 residents, but North Haven seems to be a magnet for business.

The recipe for its success? Fiscal stability, a location accessible via several major thoroughfares and a dedicated and well-connected first selectman, according to officials, business representatives and developers.

“(North Haven) gets a lot of interest. I think that’s kind of what’s interesting about it, that the phone is busy here and Universal Drive is busy,” said Ray Andrewsen, executive director of the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce.

The town’s “excellent financial management” and low taxes attract businesses, he said, adding that it also is accessible from Interstates 95 and 91 as well as the Wilbur Cross Parkway.

That location was a draw for Hartford Healthcare, according to David Whitehead, executive vice president and chief strategy transformation officer.

The health care company last year opened a medical center on Universal Drive.

When deciding where to open new sites, Whitehead said, the company assesses which areas have a need for clinical services.

“We recognized that … there was an opportunity within the North Haven community, primarily informed by some of our other health care partners, that we should be bringing those needed services into that community,” he said. “We also look at ease of access, so the convenience of access is really important.”

Other health care facilities abound in town. In April, Gaylord Specialty Healthcare announced it was seeking to expand its clinical space on Devine Street.

Nearby, Yale-New Haven Hospital has operated a medical center since 2013. Upon its opening, the hospital’s then-president called the town’s first selectman, Michael Freda, a vital supporter of the project.

Eight years later, and Freda, the top town official for more than a decade, has a reputation for successfully bringing businesses to town.

Andrewsen, of the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce, called him “a tireless advocate for North Haven business.”

“He is always looking to bring new business to the community, he has a business background,” he said. “He’s a people person.”

Interest in North Haven is not just local but national, Andrewsen said, citing the 855,000-square-foot Amazon fulfillment center that opened in 2019.

Freda said he worked for two years to bring the Amazon project to North Haven.

The project meant “transforming a vacant, dilapidated site into almost an Amazon campus on 168 acres,” he said. “(Amazon) is now the largest taxpayer in town and the largest employer in town.”

Two months ago, a major site expansion was completed, Freda said.

There have been other wins, too.

Earlier this month, Freda announced that the Texas-based home decor retailer At Home will move into an 85,000-square-foot space on Universal Drive. Daniel Zelson, the leasing agent for the property, told the Register that Freda played a key role in bringing the company to North Haven.

“He did everything in his power to get this done,” Zelson said.

The Massachusetts-based Mexican restaurant Torito will open a location in town, which can also expect a Jersey Mike’s, under construction in the Barnes & Noble plaza, a Hampton Inn and an O’Reilly Auto Parts store, according to Freda.

What’s his secret?

Freda’s success may come down to a combination of dedication, ambition and experience.

Before taking office, he headed a consumer projects agency with a portfolio of hundreds of clients, he said, adding that the firm handled advertising, marketing and sales for various companies.

“When I took office, I had so much experience in dealing with major corporations” and smaller businesses, Freda said. “In this career it’s the same thing. I’m constantly profiling North Haven. When I meet with a business, I roll the red carpet out, so to speak. I create a very business-friendly environment here and at Town Hall.”

Freda strives to be involved in every project in town, he said, and meets personally with prospective business owners.

“I’ll tell them that we would be honored to have their business in town,” he said. “I make them feel that they’re very important, that we want their business. … I will stay with them from start to finish through the approval process.”

He also makes sure they know the town has a stable tax rate and an AAA bond rating, he said.

Sometimes, Freda runs into road bumps. Despite his best efforts to bring Trader Joe’s to town, for example, the grocery chain has turned North Haven down.

But “I have a lot of physical energy and mental energy. I know how to deal with failure,” Freda said. “Baseball was my sport. For every ten at-bats, be prepared to take seven outs.”

And he’s always setting new goals, he said. “How can we improve and never get complacent?” he said.

North Haven may not have a Trader Joe’s, but it did manage to uproot Ferraro’s Market from New Haven, the grocer’s home of 60 years. The store now calls Universal Drive home.

Making connections

On Washington Avenue Thursday, a half-dozen people gathered at a vacant lot next to the Guilford Savings Bank. They included the property’s co-owners, its real estate broker and the first selectman, who spoke about plans for the site.

Much of Freda’s work in economic development involves collaborating with developers, property owners, real estate agents, retailers and entrepreneurs.

Lou Proto, the site’s real estate broker, said he has long done business in North Haven.

“What I do is I work with the landlords and tenants and act as a liaison … for the landlords to build a building to the tenants’ specifications,” he said.

Proto said Freda helps create a smooth transition for businesses, calling him a “cheerleader.”

“He pulls for the town,” said Luisa Capasso, who co-owns the site along with her husband and relatives.

If all goes as planned, a Starbucks with a drive-thru, a Jimmy John’s and a Five Guys will be constructed there. The project will represent Capasso’s biggest to date, she said.

In the Washington Avenue case, Freda said, he collaborated with the real estate broker and owners to “bring imagination to the project,” and then went after the retailers.

In other cases, Freda connects entrepreneurs with owners of empty storefronts.

Vipul Patel owns a plaza on the Hartford Turnpike, near its intersection with Upper State Street.

When he purchased the property several years ago, its storefronts were mostly vacant, and the building needed some work, he said.

Patel said he met with Freda in February and asked him to help bring businesses to the site.

Since then, he said, three businesses have set up shop.

“It was very quick,” Patel said. “Every time we got a hurdle, I called Mr. Freda.”

The plaza’s offerings now include the hip new coffee shop, Crossroads, and a meat and seafood store called V’s.

Freda and Patel have a tenant lined in mind for the last empty space, though they aren’t ready to announce just yet.

Other projects remain pending, too.

“We’re going to see a lot of new businesses coming here over the next 12 to 18 months,” Freda said.

meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com

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