Starbucks submits plans for third New Haven location

Outside a Starbucks at 896 Chapel St. on Tuesday, Feb. 6, in downtown New Haven. Starbucks has submitted plans for a new store down the block on Church Street. Outside a Starbucks at 896 Chapel St. on Tuesday, Feb. 6, in downtown New Haven. Starbucks has submitted plans for a new store down the block on Church Street. Photo: Esteban L. Hernandez / Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Esteban L. Hernandez / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Starbucks submits plans for third New Haven location 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

NEW HAVEN — Starbucks has submitted plans for a new coffee shop downtown — just one block away from one of its current locations on Chapel Street.

The Seattle-based coffee giant seeks to open a shop on the first floor at 195 Church St., the former First Niagara Bank building.

City Building Official Jim Turcio said Tuesday the company has not yet paid for a building permit, though he’s expecting the permit “very soon.” The plans for the 2,260-square-foot space were submitted by Starbucks last fall, and formally approved by the city’s Building Department in November.

Turcio said building owners have been completing additional work in space around where the new Starbucks will be located, which could explain why a building permit hasn’t been secured yet. The first-floor area formerly housed Geltman’s Deli Style Restaurant.

According to the submitted plans, the new Starbucks would have seating for 32 in its interior space and 14 for exterior seasonal seating.

Starbucks currently has two shops in the city. Both are located downtown on Chapel Street, with one near Church Street and one near High Street. A call and email sent to Starbucks for comment on Tuesday were not immediately returned.

Paul Denz, president of 195 Church St. and owner of Northside Development Co., said they reached out to Starbucks about opening a location in the building’s first floor, which he said needed a restaurant-like tenant. Denz said they’ve worked with Starbucks in the past.

“So it was natural for us to reach out to Starbucks,” Denz said. “They’re a good tenant. They attract people to your building.”

Denz said he hopes the shop will be open by mid-April.

“We were they happy that they came,” Denz said. “They looked at the space, determined that it would work for them.”

The new Starbucks would mean two similar options within a one-block area. City Deputy Economic Development Director Steve Fontana said on some level, having two Starbucks so close to another could mean New Haven is “coming of age.”

“Bottom line is, if they kept both locations open on Church, that’s obviously a sign that we’re coming of age in the city that we can support two Starbucks on a block,” Fontana said.

Downtown, there’s no shortage of coffee shops within walking distance of City Hall. Adding another option wouldn’t necessarily have a negative impact on existing shops, as Fontana said as long as the shops aren’t relying solely on coffee — and most are not — there is room for competition.

“I think the good news is rarely, if ever, do coffee shops like this close. It’s obviously a very sustainable business model,” Fontana said.

Fontana said Starbucks typically is “tight-lipped” about its development plans. It’s unclear whether the new site would consolidate the one currently open across the New Haven Green. An employee at the Starbucks at 896 Chapel St. said they have heard about the new site, but the store’s manager was not available for comment Tuesday.

“They’re currently in an attractive location,” Fontana said about Starbucks at 896 Chapel St. “If they did vacate for any reason, anyone could that space for something else.”

Reach Esteban L. Hernandez at 203-680-9901.