The year 2024 has brought numerous improvements and developments to the Town of East Haven, say town officials, opening up more recreation opportunities, beautifying the town, and introducing more business in the downtown area.

Speaking with the Courier, Mayor Joseph Carfora highlighted the continued beautification of East Haven as among the prime accomplishments this year. The most recent example is the clean-up of the old trolley bridge on North High Street for the holiday season, bringing new life to a historic piece of infrastructure in the town.

The Town Green serves as another example of beautification with the planting of new trees and the anticipated arrival in March 2025 of the new gazebo at the site. Carfora called these efforts the “last piece of the puzzle” for beautification in town.

“With all we’ve done over five years, we’ve done a lot of beautification and a lot of quality of life efforts for the town,” said Carfora. “I think it’s showing with businesses moving in.”

Cafora said the town is looking forward to the new business development set to take place in the Foxon area of East Haven, specifically mentioning redevelopment at the former Seasons wedding venue. This site will serve as the location for the new Chipotle, Starbucks, and Five Guys locations in town, along with a HartfordHealthcare facility and self-storage units. Carfora said this redevelopment “is going to be a giant stepping stone for the whole Route 80 corridor.”

He added that this and other developments mark a “constant state of growth” for East Haven, said Carfora, given the “more appealing” appearance of the town that prospective businesses are noticing as a reason to open doors to residents for their goods and services.

Aside from attracting new businesses and beautification, the many opportunities for recreation in various parts of East Haven for all ages have been another point of pride for the town this year. Pickleball courts have been introduced at the former town pool and skate park, along with new ARPA-funded facilities like the basketball court and an all-inclusive playscape at Joseph Melillo Middle School.

“Our partnership with the YMCA is thriving,” added Carfora, referring to the summer camps hosted at the former Hays School on Maple Avenue.

“There is now a waiting list for all our summer camp activities,” he said.

The former Hays School is also the new site of the East Haven Historical Society and the Teen Center; the latter offers a space for middle school-age youth in East Haven, a place to be after school or on weekends.

Progress in recreation has also been met at the Town Beach, specifically with updates to its bocce courts, said Carfora.

Aside from recreational achievements, Carfora also gave the East Haven Co-op Marching Band praise for winning this year’s national championship and said the town’s farmer’s market is “thriving.” He also mentioned the “huge success” of the Community Dining Room’s extension of food services from their base in Branford to East Haven,

Looking forward to 2025, critical infrastructure projects will be a major challenge to tackle, said Carfora. One of the projects he mentioned was the Messina Drive Traffic Signal and Pedestrian Walkway Project, for which the town secured a $781,000 grant earlier this year. The project is centered around a busy area of town that includes the location of Stop and Shop, the Twin Pines Dinner, and the East Farm Village senior living facility.

The project will see the replacement of a traffic signal that has operated inadequately while directing the flow of traffic congestion in a busy part of town, while Messina Drive will receive a new look that includes a crosswalk. The project will support safety and accessibility to Trolley Square for residents looking to shop in the area, enhancing the quality of life for senior neighbors.

“That's going to be replaced in 2025, and the Messina Drive is going to be completely paved,” said Carfora.

New business openings are expected next year, said Rich Coppola, director of administration and management. He said the town is “anticipating an announcement coming about a business” moving in near the Hobby Lobby, as well as new developments occurring along Frontage Road. The arrival of new businesses is viewed as “little victories” that can eventually add up to something significant for the town, said Coppola.

“I think it’s building on some of the successes of 2024,” he said. “As you accumulate more of those small victories, they become bigger and bigger. It helps the mayor’s vision of the beautification of the town and also improving the quality of life.”