January 27, 2021, by Thomas Breen- "The last round has commenced at the former 500 Blake Street Cafe, as Ocean Management has begun demolishing the once-popular nightspot to make way for 129 new market-rate apartments slated to be built in the heart of Westville Village. Project manager Melissa Saint told the Independent that demolition began on Monday, and should be done in approximately two weeks. When asked for what exactly is happening at the 500 Blake St.
Thursday | January 28, 2021
Tuesday | January 26, 2021
Januay 26, by Brian Slattery- "In some parts of the Kehler Liddell Gallery on Whalley Avenue in Westville, there’s a child crawling into a giant sculpture while others look on. A meeting of Segways. A ruffle of clouds over an open city square. In other parts of the gallery, nudes recline in parlors, and walk with strength and determination through ruins.
Click HERE to read the full article and to comment
Monday | January 11, 2021
[WNPR]
With the ongoing pandemic, what do municipalities need to do to stay afloat? This hour, we look at neighborhoods and towns in Connecticut working to keep their residents connected and businesses thriving during this pandemic. We hear from residents in Westville, a small thriving community in New Haven.
Click HERE to read the full article and to comment
January 6, 2021, by Kathy Leonard Czepiel- Tucked into little bird's nest pastries and featured in authentic Damascan-style ice cream, pistachios are a key ingredient at the new Pistachio Café in Westville. This "nut of choice" for Syrians, owner Mohamad Hafez says, symbolizes Syria's legendary hospitality.
Click HERE to read the full article and to comment
Wednesday | December 9, 2020
December 6, 2020, by David Sepulveda- "A slow-moving parade of cars made its way down West Rock Avenue as gleeful shouts of “We Love you Margi!” were punctuated with handmade placards, balloons and sounds of celebration. This was no ordinary procession. And “Margi” was no ordinary person. The parade unfolded four weeks ago on a picturesque fall Sunday morning before the front-porch reviewing stand of Dr.
Click HERE to read the full article and to comment
Wednesday | October 28, 2020
October 23, 2020, by Rabhya Mehrotra- Four years ago in Westville, there were 11 empty storefronts. This year, there’s only one. Westville Village Renaissance Alliance Executive Director Lizzy Donius proudly recited that statistic about-well, Westville Village’s current renaissance, during a Thursday afternoon press conference celebrating the opening of two new restaurants and the re-opening of a third. Local politicians, chefs, and neighbors all joined in for the Westville foodie bash in support of Camacho Garage, Delaney’s Restaurant & Tap Room, and Pistachio.
Click HERE to read the full article and to comment
Tuesday | October 20, 2020
August 21, 2020, by Lucy gellman- "It is also a tribute to his love for sweets and coffee, the latter of which he has been making and drinking since he was 12 or 13. As a kid, Hafez was delighted by the very sight of baklava, eyes fixed on trays and cases of the nut-packed sweet as soon as he was tall enough to reach the counter. He also started drinking coffee young, as part of the rituals his family practiced around Ramadan. His mother was a big believer that strong coffee, with dates, apricots, and nuts, should be served after fasting.
Click HERE to read the full article and to comment
October 16, 2020, By Lucy Gellman- "A group of six dancers practiced their best bachata sidestep in Edgewood Park. Just up the street, diners sat down with matching mojitos, scanning a menu that included tacos, fragrant ceviche, and butter-smooth guacamole studded with red onion. Half a block away, Mohamanad Hafez poured his dozenth cup of coffee for the day and set a vegan baklava gingerly beside it. That’s the scene in Westville, which has become an unexpected story of economic resiliency in the midst of COVID-19.
Click HERE to read the full article and to comment
September 24, 2020, by Thomas Breen- "Nearly everyone at the tables around me was well-coiffed, wore stylish, wrinkle-free clothing, and stood up periodically to take pictures of the crowd and close ups of their food. “Are all these people influencers?” someone at a nearby table asked her dining partner. I think by virtue of the fact that I spilled a fair amount of chipotle ketchup on my notepad, I am not an influencer. But I was hungry.
Click HERE to read the full article and to comment
Thursday | March 19, 2020
March 18, 2020 by Thomas Breen- "Ocean Management plans to build 129 new apartments and over 7,000 square feet of new commercial space at the site of the long-shuttered 500 Blake Street Cafe in Westville. Local attorney Jim Segaloff revealed those plans in a site plan, inland wetlands plan, and special permit application that he recently submitted to the City Plan Commission on behalf of his clients 500 Blake Development LLC and 881 Whalley LLC. Both holding companies are owned by Shmuel Aizenberg, the founder of the large-scale local landlord and property management company Ocean
Click HERE to read the full article and to comment