"The one component that has been taken into consideration for the design process is the presence of the Long Wharf Theater as part of the project," explains the city. The rest of the design is in an estimated 120-day evaluation process between the city and the developer. None of the other pieces of the design are set in stone.

Northland's winning proposal covered one million sf and combined market and affordable units of housing alongside ground floor retail, parking and office space, as well as the inclusion of the essential Long Wharf Theater as part and parcel of the community. The neighborhood is hemmed-in by North Frontage Road, State Street, George Street and South Orange Street. There is no estimated budget or completion date, as the final design has not been completed or approved. Once the plan is finalized, it will still require the standard city approval processes.

The project has longer-term and larger implications for the city of New Haven, beyond a rejuvenated Ninth Square neighborhood. "We look forward to the new jobs that this project will provide," Mayor John DeStefano Jr. says in a statement. "Not only during the construction phase, but also in the form of retail and office opportunities. The housing options planned for this development are in line with the city's mixed-income model that provides for strong neighborhoods and an improved sense of community."