“I am a lifelong resident of New Haven and have developed an understanding of how the City operates. For example, New Haven’s zoning is done under a Special Act, not like most of the rest of Connecticut.”
Carolyn is a partner in the firm’s Land Use and Litigation practice groups. Her practice focuses on land use and zoning, municipal law, non-profit organizations, health care issues and litigation. Notably, her land use representation includes all stages of the permitting process, drafting zoning regulations, and representing clients in zoning appeals. She also serves as general counsel to several quasi-municipal agencies, including the New Haven Port Authority and two municipal pension funds.
Carolyn is a member of the Connecticut and New York Bars. She is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits, and the United States Supreme Court.
Prior to joining the firm, she also served as an Assistant and a Deputy Corporation Counsel for the City of New Haven and as a Clinical Instructor at the University of Bridgeport School of Law (now known as Quinnipiac University School of Law). Carolyn earned her B.A., magna cum laude, from Barnard College and her J.D. from Boston University.
Carolyn has been recognized since 2021 by Best Lawyers® for her work in the area of Land Use & Zoning Law, and was named Lawyer of the Year for 2023 for Land Use & Zoning Law in New Haven.
Carolyn represents developers in obtaining local zoning approvals including site plan approvals, special permits, inland wetland approvals, coastal site plan approvals, zone changes (including Planned Development Districts), special exceptions (including Planned Development Units), variances, tax abatements and tax assessment deferral agreements. For large redevelopment projects that involve City of New Haven land, she has participated in the drafting and negotiation of development and land disposition agreements and zoning amendments. She also assists clients in procuring affordable housing financing.
A number of projects in the City of New Haven that Carolyn has worked on include:
- 101 College Street
491,960 square foot bioscience building with lab, research, incubator space and public space - 100 College Street
425,000 square foot laboratory/office space with an 850 car garage - Downtown South/Hill North Project
Pierpoint – 9 Tower Lane: 223 residential units
Parkside – 22 Gold Street: a mixed use, mixed income building with 102 residential units and amenities
49 Prince – 49 Prince Street: conversion of a historic school into 30 affordable housing units, including a tax abatement
Aura Apartments – 2 Washington Avenue: 101 residential units
The Maddox – 216 Congress Avenue: 90 residential units and a pet play area - Audubon Square
Phase 1: 269 residential units, 716 space garage and 4,000 square foot retail space
Phase 2: 135 residential units and approximately 7,000 square foot retail space
Phase 3: 56 apartment units and 4 townhouse units - ConnCAT Place on Dixwell
Redevelopment of the Dixwell Plaza site to include a 72,355 square foot multi-use nonprofit building (headquarters for the Connecticut Center for the Arts and Technology, a healthcare clinic, and a day care facility); a 214,460 square foot multi-purpose building (a food hall, a grocery store, a retail area, and a 6-story residential tower containing 184 dwelling units), a 41,500 square foot public plaza; a 350 seat Performing Arts Center, a 5-story 48,000 square foot office building with ground floor retail, 13 townhouse units, an underground 259 space parking garage, and an above-ground 340 space parking garage - Former New Haven Coliseum Site
Phase 1A: development of a mixed used building that will include 200 residential units (including affordable units), retail space, resident amenity space, a plaza, and a laneway/shared street.
Phase 1B: development of an 11-story, mixed use building that will include 120 residential apartments (including affordable units), retail space, resident amenity space, and a 657 space parking garage.
Phase 1C: development of a 9-story laboratory/office building that will also include 2,500 square feet of retail/restaurant space on the first floor. - Fitch & Whalley Apartments
Obtained Site Plan, Coastal Site Plan and Inland Wetlands approvals for a mixed-use building with 245 residential units; 2,300 square foot retail space; and a 203 space ground level parking garage. - Winchester Green Building
Obtained Site Plan, Detailed Plans and Minor Modifications to a Planned Development District for a mixed-use building with 287 apartments; a 196 space parking lot; and 12,000 square foot of retail as well as approval for private streets and a public park in Science Park. - 87 Union Street
299 unit/mixed use development - Graduate Hotel (formerly Hotel Duncan)
72 room boutique hotel - The Blake
102 room boutique hotel in the downtown area - Winchester Lofts
Historic renovation of a Winchester Repeating Arms factory building into 150 rental units - Winchester Works
Historic renovation of a factory building for a start-up company - The Novella
144 residential units of market rate housing - 55 Park Street
Smilow Cancer Center laboratory building - Quinnipiac Terrace – Hope VI
244 unit affordable housing project - New Rowe Residences
104 residential units/mixed income apartment building - Amistad Building and Garage
University laboratories and a 904 space garage - Science Park Garage
1,186 square foot space garage and chiller with first floor retail space - 344 Winchester
A renovation of a factory building for university multipurpose use - Ribicoff Cottages, Farnam Courts and Chatham
Affordable housing projects - 100 Gando Drive
News distributional enterprise - 40 Sargent Drive
New Haven Register property – change of zoning district - New Ronald McDonald House
Planned Development Unit for a multi-phase development - River Street
Marine construction facility - 49-51 Howe Street
Mixed use building with 44 residential units and retail space - Church Project
Conversion of residential building to administrative offices for a church - East Rock Brewery
22,600 square foot beer manufacturing and tasting room - 170 Olive Street
Rental car and truck agency with indoor storage of cars - 188, 196 & 206 Lafayette Street and 39 Prince Street
112 residential units - 10 Liberty Street
150 residential units - Davenport and Congress Avenues
188,150 square foot five story multifamily building with 194 units. This project is subject to the Inclusionary Zoning regulations for affordable housing. - Mid-Western Connecticut Council & Alcoholism, Inc.
Obtained a Special Exception and Site Plan Approval to convert an existing building to an outpatient alcohol and drug addiction and mental health clinic in the Commercial Gateway District - Insa Adult Use Cannabis Retailer
Obtained Site Plan and Approval and a Special Permit to operate as a Cannabis Retailer in the former Long Wharf Theatre’s Main Stage
- New Haven County Bar Association – Co-Chair Land Use Section; Former Member of the Executive Committee; Former Tri-Chair of the Public Service Committee
- Member of the Connecticut Association of Municipal Attorneys
- Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel, Former Vice-President
- Community Mediation, Former Board Member
- New Haven Preservation Trust, Former Board Member
- Regional Growth Partnership, Former Board Member
- Jewish Family Services of Greater New Haven, Former Board Member
- Connecticut Association for Human Services, Former Board Member
- Congregation Mishkan Israel, Former Member of the Personnel Committee
- Connecticut Bar Association (Planning & Zoning Section)
- New Haven Inns of Court, Former Bencher Member
- Connecticut Bar Foundation, Fellow
- Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce, Former Member of Governmental Affairs Committee
- Montessori School on Edgewood, Former Board Member
Practice Areas
• Land Use and Zoning
• Municipal Law
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Health Care Issues
Education
• Boston University (J.D.)
• Barnard College (B.A.)
– magna cum laude
Bar Admissions
• Connecticut
• New York
Court Admissions
• U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits
• U.S. Supreme Court
