NEW HAVEN, CT (WFSB) - After years of planning and different proposals, there is finally new life back at the old New Haven Coliseum site.
For roughly the last 18 years, it's been an empty space filled with tons of construction.
It is now replaced with a few hundred apartments, and more is on the way. It is part of the city's plan to reconnect New Haven neighborhoods.
For the last seven years, Qulen Wright's been keeping a close eye on the sight from his Caribbean restaurant across the street.
"Since we started here, rumors of development and project going on, how good it will be for business, its been years, now its finally here, you know," he said.
The coliseum imploded back in January 2007. Since then, there have been numerous projects and proposals that have not come to fruition.
But finally, a new developer came along, and the ribbon was cut on the Anthem at 10 Square Monday morning.
The lot now includes 200 apartments, 40 of them being affordable units, a pool, outdoor courtyard and a gym. A grocery store, coffee shop, and a restaurant are all still on the way.
"We have over 15000 sq feet of retail space, just in this first building alone and I'm really excited to say, it's essentially 100 percent leased," said Frank Caico of Spinnaker Real Estate Partners.
This marks just the first phase of the project. The next one will include 75 to 100 apartments and a parking garage.
The third phase will be a 200,000 square foot medical lab building.
"So many people have great memories of this site, coming to rock concerts, other concerts here, obviously its not rocking in the same way that it used to be, but its an indication that New Haven is rocking," said Mayor Justin Elicker.
Wright is looking forward to the future of the location.
"The neighborhood's been keeping us going. Neighborhood is about to get a little bigger. I know, yeah it's a good thing," he said.
The developers say that they should have the apartments on the upper floors all finished by February. They will then turn their attention to the next two phases.