Founded in 1638, New Haven, Connecticut is one of the oldest cities in the United States and also one of the most walkable cities in New England.
The New Haven Green, a remarkable 16-acre site in the center of the downtown, is the central square in the original nine square design of the city. The Green is famous for its canopy of elm trees, free concerts, and historic architecture.
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The Committee of the Proprietors of Common and Undivided Lands at New Haven was established in 1810. The five trustees act to preserve the Green's history, preventing its commercialization and ensuring that it remains an open and beautiful green space for enjoyment by the community.
The New Haven Green is a National Historic Landmark and was named one of the country's top 10 public spaces by the American Planning Association.
MEET OUR PROPRIETORS
Since 1805, the New Haven Green has been governed by
the Committee of the Proprietors of the Common and Undivided Lands in New Haven.
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Here are the current proprietors.
JANET ARTERTON
Judge Arterton has lived in New Haven since 1978 and has served on the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut since 1995, sitting in New Haven. Her prior litigation career was with the New Haven law firm formerly known as Garrison & Arterton, P.C. (1978 to 1995). She has served on the historic Committee of the Proprietors of the Common and Undivided Lands in New Haven since 2007 and is the current Chair.
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She established the New Haven District Court's Support Court program in 2010 to provide structured support for federal criminal defendants with drug or alcohol addictions. From 2002 to 2008 she served on the International Judicial Relations Committee of the U.S. Judicial Conference. Her international judicial work has taken her to numerous developing countries for programs with judiciaries to develop rule oflaw competencies in particular areas.
She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Northeastern University School of Law. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree in 2005 by Northeastern University, and has received special recognition awards from the American Board of Trial Lawyers Connecticut Chapter; the Connecticut Bar Association; Community Mediation; and the Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund. In 2015 the Arterton IP Inn of Court was established in her honor.
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ANNE CALABRESI
Anne Tyler Calabresi was born and grew up in New Haven, Connecticut. She has helped found important New Haven institutions.
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In the summer of 1986, Anne started an afternoon track program, 9 Squares Neighborhood Youth League, with the Olympic coach James Barber of Southern Connecticut State University. Starting in 1991, she helped found LEAP (Leadership, Education, Athletics in Partnership) a youth leadership and community service program, serving more than 1000 children in five neighborhoods in New Haven. In 1994, she helped establish the International Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven, a two week festival celebrating theater, music and dance from around the world along with the involvement of local artists and neighborhood groups, to both celebrate the rich diversity of culture in New Haven and to bring artists from around the world to draw people to the Green and New Haven. In 2015, in cooperation with Liberty Community Services, she opened the Sunrise Cafe, which provides a free nutritious hot breakfast five mornings a week for 150-200 people, served entirely by volunteers. For the 100 regular guests, Sunrise Cafe has become a reliable place of community, offering fellowship, a once a week clinic and opportunities for housing and other social services.
Anne has received numerous awards for community service from, among others, the Connecticut Bar Association, the Connecticut Council of Foundations, Yale University, and the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce. She graduated from Radcliffe College in 1956 and has received honorary degrees from Albertus Magnus College, Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University, Quinnipiac University and the University of New Haven.
ROBERT B. DANNIES, JR.
Bob and his wife, Priscilla, have lived in New Haven since 1977. He has served on the historic committee of the The Proprietors of the Common and Undivided Lands in New Haven since 2007.
Bob is a graduate of Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. He earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 1978. His career was focused on investment management. After serving several years as a portfolio manager in Boston, he joined Colonial Bank as Chief Investment Officer in 1982. He continued in this capacity following the bank's acquisition by Bank of Boston. In 1998, he accepted the appointment of Chief Investment Officer, People's Bank, Wealth Management and Trust.
Bob has served as Chair of the Trustees Committee of the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven. He has been a board member of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, the Creative Arts Workshop and the New Haven Land Trust. He is past president of the Arts Council of Greater New Haven and the New Haven Symphony Orchestra.
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KICA MATOS
Kica Matos is the director of the Center on Immigration and Justice at the Vera Institute of Justice. Prior to joining Vera, Kica was the director of Immigrant Rights and Racial Justice at the Center for Community Change. Kica has been a national advocate for immigration reform and coordinated the work of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement, the nation’s largest network of immigrant rights organizations. She has extensive experience as an advocate, community organizer, and lawyer. Kica also headed up the U.S. Reconciliation and Human Rights Program at Atlantic Philanthropies. Before joining Atlantic she served as deputy mayor in the city of New Haven, where she oversaw the city’s community programs and launched new initiatives including prisoner re-entry, youth and immigrant integration. Kica was previously the executive director of JUNTA, New Haven’s oldest Latino advocacy organization. She also worked as an assistant federal defender for death sentenced inmates and with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Amnesty International on death penalty and criminal justice issues.
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Kica holds a BA degree from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, a Masters in Political Science (International Affairs) from the New School, and a JD from Cornell Law School.
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DAVID NEWTON
David I. Newton is a life long resident of New Haven and president and founder of Elm Advisors, LLC. Established in 2007, Elm Advisors specializes in real estate and facilities services for not for profit institutions. He serves as trustee and a member on a number of boards, including Lesley University, CT. Health Foundation, New Alliance Foundation, Start Bank, Elm Shakespeare Company, Project Access, and St. Martin de Porres Academy.
Previously, Newton was the associate vice president and director of University Properties at Yale University and co-founder and president of the Facilities Resource Management Co. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Williams College and a master’s degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Business.
The Proprietors have invited a committee of distinguished New Haven contributors to help steer and advise as we transition to a more wonderful New Haven Green.
Members of the Advisory Committee for the Proprietors of the New Haven Green
John Crawford
Gordon Geballe
Lucy Gellman
Will Ginsberg
Mikey Hirshoff
Geri Mauhs
Nick Norcott
Greg Pepe
Rafael Ramos
Caroline Tanbee Smith
George Zdru