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Neighbors ask Bridgeport to use Bassett High School property for parking as sale nears
Summary
Residents including Robert Halstead and Nicole Luhano urged the city to address lost parking tied to the Bassett High School closure, described safety and access problems for tenants, and suggested municipal solutions based on past property subdivisions.
Residents from neighborhoods near the former Bassett High School told the council the closure of the school has left a gap in overnight and tenant parking that has contributed to security concerns.
Robert Halstead of 55 Sterling Place recounted that after the school closed gates were locked and neighbors could no longer use the lot for parking. He described a past local precedent in which a small parcel was subdivided from a Chevron station to create a driveway that enabled a redevelopment project, and he said a similar approach could help provide parking and support mixed-use redevelopment near State Street and a community garden.
"When the school moved out, they locked the gates, and it impacted the neighbors because, at night when the lots were vacant...they used to use it for parking," Halstead said. He identified himself as a city property manager for 13 years and asked the council members representing the 132nd District to back neighborhood solutions.
Nicole Luhano, speaking for her father because English is not his first language, asked the council to reserve a portion of the former school lot to provide parking so tenants can safely access backyards and reduce break-ins. She said families with small children need secure parking and that the restaurant below an apartment property has reduced curb availability.
The transcript does not record a formal staff response, plan of action or vote on the requests during the public comment period.
