A Word About Fountains

The Women's Table, constructed in 1989 by sculptor Maya Lin (BA 1981, M.Arch 1986), commemorates the inclusion of women at Yale College, which began twenty years earlier, in 1969. The years and corresponding numbers indicate the number of women admitted into Yale each year. The fountain also one of the only water features New Haven has to offer.

A recent conversation with a worker has revealed that there are some long-term issues surrounding the fountain. There is a water line that has a leak, underneath, in a maintenance corridor within Bass Library. That has also attributed to the increase of dirt and debris which requires the fountain to be turned off and cleaned on a more regular basis. The other significant issue is that it has become slightly off balance. This could have been due to the presence of a crane a few years back, said the worker, who remains unnamed.  In order to correct the imbalance, the fountain would need to be lifted. A vein that runs along the marble could in fact fracture under its own weight.  The only way to properly repair that would be to wind a way to lift the structure underneath the circular surface; to lift it somehow at the base, to correct the balance. This would allow for the water to continue to run smoothly and evenly across every side again.

Public Questions

Recent graduates revel in women's liberation.

Can you name other water features in New Haven? What sort of challenges do seasonal changes create when dealing with public water decoration (fountains)?  And if freezing is an issue, how are the fountains in Montreal, for example, so abundantly numerous? Perhaps it requires work, to be beautiful. Maybe it requires effort to be well-maintained.

More Facts About Womens Table
Designer: Maya Lin
Year Built: 1989

Maya Lin also designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. when she was still an undergraduate. She was also the subject of an award-winning documentary.

Learn About Your City's Infrastructure.

From section "Energy" - United Illuminating

Here on Nhv.Org, we love infrastructure. Cities and places are like extensions of ourselves; our environment helps define us. Therefore how our cities are designed often reflects the way that we live. How we transport ourselves to work defines each and every morning. How water can emerge from a faucet with the turn of a valve.

Whether we're on a city bus, barreling down Elm Street, or taking a quiet walk through a neighborhood to a downtown work destination, civic infrastructure plays a great deal of significance in all of our lives. Especially when you see a photograph of a place that you've been before; you recognize it, like everybody else who can identify with that location.

A group of Yale Students, headed by Architecture school faculty member and professor Elihu Rubin, took on a project of attempting to understand as much about New Haven infrastructure as possible. The product of their research has been encapsulated into a browsable database; a website called

People's Guide To New Haven Infrastructure.

Subjects include Transportation, Waste and Water, Energy, Parks and Public Space, as well as Telecommunications. Each topic contains data and research assembled by Yale students studying each aspect of New Haven.

Recent Rain Causes Damage to Buildings in 9th Square

Recent rain has provided a challenge for the city's water supply system, in particular the area near the 9th square, which contains some of the lowest elevation points in the city.

Complicating matters for business owners at Bru Cafe, located at 141 Orange Street, the mold situation from basement flooding went sorely out of control, to the point where the property management negligently fired "Serv Pro" when mold was discovered.

A quote from Bru Cafe, who rent the building:

"This is mold found in Bru's basement by ServPro during clean-up off the incursion of sewage, water and other debris into the first floor and basement areas on Friday, Saturday and today. Landlord fired them once the mold was found. This grew in four days. I don't think I can purchase enough peroxide."

On display in their window (Devils Gear Bike Shop sign in the background) is a piece of the mold, and an explanation as to why their business is closed.


[The] landlord is an limited liability company called Orange Palladium, LLC. Orange Palladium, LLC is managed by Lynne Franford, the wife of the late Michael Franford. Her son, Brian Franford, claims to be the "building manager" but also claims he is not employed by Orange Palladium or his mother, and further disavows any connection to Orange Palladium, LLC. 
To the best of my knowledge, this is the only building left from the Franford Properties. 

You can contact the building manager at (203) 530-7996. Ask him when Bru will be open for business!



Hopefully this will all get straightened out.  That's why it's good to have news.